Public Accounts Commission

National Audit Office

Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, if the Commission will take steps to reduce expenditure by the National Audit Office.

Sir Edward Leigh: The Commission, working with the National Audit Office, has taken significant steps to reduce expenditure by the NAO. By the 31st March 2015, NAO expenditure will have reduced by 20% from its 2010–11 baseline of £74.1 million. This is a cut of more than 25% after adjusting for inflation.The Commission will be discussing future resource proposals for the National Audit Office at a hearing scheduled for 2nd December 2014. This discussion will also consider the additional responsibilities in local government the NAO will take on following the passage of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

HM Treasury

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 15 September 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Reverend Ian Hamilton.

Andrea Leadsom: I replied to the Rt Hon Member, on behalf of the Chancellor, on 22 October 2014

Financial Services: Taxation

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received from (a) business organisations and (b) trades unions about (i) economic integration within the EU and (ii) the proposed introduction of a financial transaction tax.

Mr David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials receive a wide variety of representations from organisations in both the public and private sectors.   Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published quarterly and are available at:   http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Revenue and Customs: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made on the proposed closures of each HM Revenue and Customs office in North Wales; how many (a) forced and (b) voluntary redundancies each such closure entails; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such closures on levels of service by HM Revenue and Customs in North Wales.

Mr David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced on 16 October 2014 the closure of 14 of its smaller offices across the UK which do not fit the medium to long term plans of any line of business currently operating from them. This included one office in North Wales, Government Buildings, Colwyn Bay and followed consultation with staff, departmental trade unions and elected representatives.   Following the decision, 38 people in Colwyn Bay have been given priority status for vacancies at their grade both within HMRC and in other government departments.   HMRC has not invited staff in Colwyn Bay office to consider voluntary redundancy at this stage. HMRC remains committed to avoiding compulsory redundancy and will do everything it reasonably can to avoid it.  There will be no impact on local HMRC services when the office in Colwyn Bay closes in July 2015 as it is not involved in direct customer-facing work.

Tax Allowances: Business

Adam Afriyie: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential costs and benefits of removing the cap on entrepreneurs' tax relief.

Mr David Gauke: The last published cost for changing the cap on entrepreneurs' tax relief related to increasing the lifetime limit from £5m of qualifying gains to £10m. This is available in the full Budget 2011 document at the following address on page 42 in table 2.1 of the report.  http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130129110402/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget.htm

Money Laundering: EU Law

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed revision of EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive on individuals and companies in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom: The 4th EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive transposes the global standards on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2012. These standards further embed the risk-based approach, which allow obliged entities, including companies, to adopt anti-money laundering checks which are best suited to the risk they face in their everyday business. This allows for more proportionate and balanced anti-money laundering regimes across the EU including in the UK.   The Directive is currently in its last stage of negotiations. The UK government is committed to publishing an impact assessment and to consulting on the implementation of the Directive before transposing its new requirements into UK legislation, in line with better regulation principles. This timing is necessary to ensure that any Impact Assessment accurately reflects any changes to the draft legislation agreed in negotiations.

Financial Services: Islam

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made on the benefit to UK companies of an increase in the capacity of the UK's Islamic finance market.

Mr David Gauke: Islamic finance is the one of the world’s fastest growing sectors - according to estimates from TheCityUK, at the current rate of growth, the market will exceed US$2 trillion in assets by the end of this year.[1] The Government has not estimated the benefits to UK companies of the expansion of the UK’s Islamic finance market, although we recognise the significant opportunity it represents UK firms.  The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK remains the global partner and destination of choice for Islamic finance. In June this year the Government was the first western country to issue a sovereign sukuk, an Islamic bond, worth £200 million. This cemented the UK’s position as the western hub for Islamic finance and demonstrates that the UK has created a level playing field which puts Islamic finance on par with conventional forms of finance.  The UK has a high concentration of Islamic finance and related professional services firms: 6 full Islamic banks, over 20 banks offering Islamic finance products and services, and over 25 UK law firms have Islamic finance units. As the Government continues its efforts to develop the UK’s Islamic finance market, we expect further opportunities and benefits to arise for UK companies although these have not been estimated.

Private Finance Initiative

Simon Kirby: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many private finance initiative projects his Department contracted for in each year from 1997 to 2010.

Danny Alexander: The Treasury holds one PFI contract, GOGGS West, which was entered into on 1st May 2000. Information on all PFI projects can be found on the following link, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-initiative-projects-2013-summary-data.   The current projects spreadsheet can be filtered by procuring authority and then by date of financial close in order to determine the number of projects contracted by a department in a particular year.   The information in this spreadsheet is provided by departments and published by the Treasury each year. The current data is at 31 March 2013 but will be updated with information as a 31 March 2014 shortly.

Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

Identity Cards

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 206672, what discussions the Commission has had with Liberty on the Electoral Commission's proposals to introduce electoral identity cards.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Commission has not yet had discussions with Liberty on its recommendation that electors in Great Britain should be required in future to present an acceptable form of photographic identification (ID) prior to being issued with a ballot paper at polling stations, as has been the requirement in Northern Ireland since 2003. The Commission has recommended that any voter ID scheme for Great Britain should provide for electors to obtain an alternative form of identification, such as a free electoral ID card, if they do not have access to any other specified form of identification.The Commission is consulting a wide range of relevant organisations to develop and test options for suitable forms of identification, and it will consult Liberty as part of this work.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, in which year electoral registration officers were placed under an obligation to make houshold visits where no response was received to either a household enquiry form or an invitation to register.

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which electoral registration officers have failed in their obligation to make household visits when no response was received to either a household enquiry form or an invitation to register; and what steps the Electoral Commission took in response to each individual case in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Commission informs me that the general duty on Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to take all necessary steps to maintain the electoral register, including making house-to-house enquiries, was introduced in 2006. Specific provisions requiring EROs to follow up any non-responses to household enquiry forms and invitations to register with personal visits came into effect at the beginning of the transition to Individual Electoral Registration, which commenced on 10 June 2014 in England and Wales and from 19 September 2014 in Scotland. EROs are now in the process of carrying out personal canvassing to follow up non-responses to household enquiry forms and invitations to register. The Commission will continue to monitor the performance of EROs and, if there are any instances where the necessary visits are not being carried out, it will consider the full range of options available, including making a recommendation to the Secretary of State to make a direction.

Electoral Register: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 208311, what the most significant reason was for the increase in the numbers of people registered to vote in Northern Ireland between 2012 and 2013.

Mr Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission carried out an evaluation of the canvass and other registration activities conducted as part of the 2013 annual canvass. The evaluation is presented in ‘Report on the Northern Ireland electoral registration canvass 2013’ available on the Electoral Commission’s website.

Prime Minister

Visits Abroad

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Prime Minister, who has represented him at official overseas events in each year since 2010; at what event in each case; and if he will provide details.

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Prime Minister, who attended official overseas events on behalf of (a) himself and (b) other Government Ministers at official overseas events in each year since 2010; what the name was of each such person; and on which date each such event took place.

Mr David Cameron: Details of Ministerial overseas travel is published quarterly and is available on the gov.uk website.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the approved July 2011 business case for universal credit referred to on page 32 of his Department's publication, Universal Credit at Work, published in October 2014, was approved by (a) the Major Projects Authority and (b) HM Treasury; and whether that business case was a strategic outline business case or a full business case.

Mr Mark Harper: HM Treasury approved the Universal Credit Strategic Outline Business Case in July 2011 and an updated business case in September 2014, as referred to on page 32 of the publication ‘Universal Credit at Work’. HM Treasury are the sole approval authority for Departmental business cases.

Housing Benefit

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will initiate a review of the operation of the shared accommodation rate.

Steve Webb: The Department has no plans to review the way the Shared Accommodation Rates are calculated. The Rent Officer Services set the rates in line with the current DWP policy for uprating Local Housing Allowance and with reference to evidence of achieved rents in the local area. In 2014/15, 56 out of the 192 Shared Accommodation Rates have been increased by 4% in those areas where there is the greatest divergence between LHA rates and local rents.

Personal Independence Payment: Southwark

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individual personal independent payments have been awarded in the London Borough of Southwark since April 2013.

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independent payment applications his Department has received from people in the London Borough of Southwark since April 2013.

Mr Mark Harper: Such information as is available on the number of cases in payment, and applications made, for personal independence payment has been published and is available from the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-july-2014

Housing Benefit

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) pensioner households and (b) disabled people are in receipt of local housing allowance in (i) the UK, (ii) each region and (iii) each local authority.

Steve Webb: The information requested in respect of Housing Benefit (HB) claimants is published and can be found at:   https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/   Guidance on how to extract the information can be found at:   https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at:   http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research/benefit_publications.htm Information on those households containing someone registered as disabled is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans that universal credit will be available to (a) couples and (b) households with children throughout the UK.

Mr Mark Harper: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Official Report, 13th October 2014, Column. 16WS.

Personal Independence Payment: Southwark

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has awarded in personal independent payments in the London Borough of Southwark since April 2013.

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has paid in personal independent payments in the London Borough of Southwark in each month since April 2013.

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has paid in backdated payments for personal independent payments in the London Borough of Southwark since April 2013.

Mr Mark Harper: The specific information requested is not available. National expenditure on personal independence payment in 2013/14 was £155million1. No breakdown by local authority is available.   1. Benefit Expenditure and Caseload Tables, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2014

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were waiting in each parliamentary constituency for (a) a work capability assessment and (b) a decision for a personal independence payment claim on the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr Mark Harper: The information requested for work capability assessments by parliamentary constituency is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.   Information on the number of registrations and clearances of claims to personal independence payment (PIP) has been published and is available on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013-to-july-2014. There are several stages between registration and clearance of a PIP claim including: the issue and return of the PIP questionnaire; an assessment by a health professional, usually at a face-to-face consultation; and a decision on the claim by a DWP decision maker.

Access to Work Programme

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what funding was provided to disabled people in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK through the Access to Work scheme in 2013-14.

Mr Mark Harper: The Department for Work and Pensions provided funding to disabled people in (a) Scotland of £6M and (b) GB £108M through the Access to Work scheme in 2013-14.

Access to Work Programme

Dr Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK received support through the Access to Work scheme in 2013-14.

Mr Mark Harper: 35,530 individuals were helped through Access to Work in GB in the 2013/14 financial year. 2,830 of which were in Scotland.

Home Office

Human Trafficking

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 13 January 2014 to Question 181067, how many identified victims of trafficking who (a) participated and (b) did not participate in criminal proceedings were granted discretionary leave to remain on the grounds of personal circumstances in 2013; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: In 2013, 52 people who had been granted discretionary leave due to being recognised as victims of trafficking participated in criminal proceedings by assisting the police with their investigations into human trafficking.A further 35 individuals were granted discretionary leave but did not participate in criminal proceedings.

Surveillance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions her Department has used the provisions of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to access communications data, in each year since the coming into force of that Act.

James Brokenshire: The total number of communications data items processed by the Home Office each year since the enactment of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 is set out in the table below.   YearNumber of requests processed20025320037512004360200513732006107820071220200810282009 (Apr-Dec only)79620102813201140322012502020136056   The operational directorates of the Home Office obtain communications data for the purpose of preventing and detecting crime as part of immigration and border functions as well as in anti-corruption investigations. In addition, it obtains the data in the interests of public safety and to prevent the escape of lawfully detained persons from the immigration detention estate.The figures for 2000 to 2008 represent the total number of communications data applications per year, rather than those that were approved, resulting in requests for communications data being made. Some of these applications were ultimately withdrawn, rejected by the designated person or cancelled before the data was acquired from the service provider. Figures for 2009 are only available for April to December of that year. Figures from 2010 to 2013 represent the number of communications data items that were applied for, authorised and obtained from service providers.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to expand the sex offenders register to include serial stalkers and domestic violence perpetrators.

Norman Baker: The Home Office is responsible for the legislative framework for the sex offender notification requirements, and the list of qualifying offences is kept under review.Convicted stalkers are already captured on the Police National Computer. The Home Secretary has established a National Oversight Group to ensure recommendations from HMIC’s Review into domestic abuse are acted upon. This includes work to improve data collection and data sharing on serial abusers. In addition, the Home Office consultation on strengthening the law on domestic abuse closed on 15 October. We are currently considering the responses and we will consider all of the issues raised in order to determine next steps to offer the best possible protection for victims.

Offences against Children

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will publish the terms of reference and full membership of the panel into the inquiry into child sexual abuse.

Norman Baker: The Home Secretary announced the full panel and published the Terms of Reference in a WMS to the House on 21 October 2014.

Offences against Children: Victim Support Schemes

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that victims of child sexual abuse have access to adequate support and counselling services.

Norman Baker: This Government remains absolutely committed to tackling child sexual abuse. We have been appalled by the recent terrible accounts of abuse in Rotherham and the failings that allowed it to continue for so long. In response, the Home Secretary is chairing a series of Secretaries of State meeting, which I also attend, to look at how we learn the lessons here, including how victims of currentand historical child sexual abuse are supported. These meetings are building on the work of the Home Office-led National Group to tackle sexual violence against children and young people. This group, which I chair, has overseen the delivery of a range of improvements for victims of child sexual abuse. They include measures to improve the court process forvictims of sexual abuse and exploitation as well as publication of a newVictims’ Code setting out enhanced entitlements for victims of the most serious crimes, including sexual offences, and an enhanced role for agenciesin supporting victims through the criminal justice system. This Government has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of funding up to 2015 for specialist local support services and national helplines for victims of sexual abuse and other forms of Violence against Women and Girls. We have committed funding of £1.72 million per year to part fund 87 Independent Sexual Violence Advisors posts which provide independent advocacy to victims of sexual violence, including, in some cases, children. Within this £40 million, Ministry of Justice is providing £4.4million per year until March 2016 to fund 86 rape support centres across England and Wales.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Sir Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of changes in the rates of (a) alcohol-related crime and (b) binge drinking since the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003.

Norman Baker: It is difficult to draw causality between the Licensing Act 2003 and changing behaviours. The Licensing Act 2003 came into force in November 2005. Data on offences which are ‘alcohol related’ are drawn from the Crime Survey of England and Wales, which asks victims of violent incidents whether they perceived the offender to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence. By this measure, the number of violent incidents considered to be‘alcohol related’ has fallen from around 1.02 million incidents in 2005/06, to around 0.88 million incidents in 2012/13 (a fall of 14%). The definition of binge drinking used by the NHS is drinking more than double the lower risk guidelines for alcohol in one session – more than 8 units for men and 6 units for women. The Opinions and Lifestyle survey, published by the Office of National Statistics provides our best measure for this. The data shows that in 2005, 23% of men and 15% of women drank over twice the lower risk guidelines on at least one day in the week before interview. This fell to 19 % of men and 11 % of women in 2012.

Stalking

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints of stalking were recorded by the police in England and Wales in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.

Norman Baker: The Home Office collects data on the number of crimes recorded by the police but not how many complaints the police receive. Prior to 1 April 2014, offences relating to stalking recorded by the police were included in the offence classification of harassment and cannot be identified separately. From the 1 April 2014 these offences have been supplied to the Home Office as a separate classification of stalking. Therefore data are only available for the months April to June 2014, when the police recorded 695 offences. They are published in the quarterly Office for National Statistics publication of ‘Crime in England and Wales’. The most recent data are available in Table A4 of the appendix tables in this link:http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/period-ending-june-2014/index.html

Religious Hatred

Mr Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of (a) anti-semitism and (b) Islamophobia in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The UK Government takes all forms of hate crime very seriously. We deplore all religious and racially-motivated attacks. Between 2012-13 and 2013-14 recorded race hate crime increased by 4% (an increase of 1,595 offences), and religious hate crime by 45% (an increase of 700 offences). The increase in recorded hate crime shows that more victims are coming forward and that the police are improving the way they identify hate crimes, and we welcome this.While religious hate crime data is not broken down by type, monthly police recorded crime data for racially or religiously aggravated offences show an increase following the murder of Lee Rigby in May 2013. The Community Safety Trust monitors levels of antisemitism. Their most recent report, published at the end of July covering the period of January to June 2014, highlights that there has been a 36% increase in the number of antisemitic incidents recorded compared to the same period in 2013 (304 incidents in 2014, compared to 223 in 2013).When these events occur it is vital that the police take action to engage effectively with communities. Police forces in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have recently been issued with new guidance for dealing with hate crimes, which includes advice on dealing with incidents and how to monitor and deal with community tensions.We have established working groups to tackle antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred which bring together community representatives and experts from across government to help explore issues affecting these communities.Our cross-government action plan brings together the work of a wide range of departments and agencies under three core principles: to prevent hate crimes happening in the first place; to increase reporting and victims’ access to support; and to improve the operational response to hate crimes.

Crime

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes have been made to the process of recording notifiable recorded crime categories since 2010.

Norman Baker: The National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) governs the recording of Notifiable Offences by the Police. There have been no changes to NCRS since 2010.

Offences against Children

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the report of the Wanless Review.

Norman Baker: The Home Secretary has received the report of the Review led by Peter Wanless and Richard Whittam QC and is considering their findings ahead of the full report being published. On publication a copy of the report will be placed in the House Library.

Offences against Children

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will place in the Library the report of the Wanless Review.

Norman Baker: The Home Secretary has received the report of the Review led by Peter Wanless and Richard Whittam QC and is considering their findings ahead of the full report being published. On publication a copy of the report will be placed in the House Library.

Domestic Violence: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many domestic violence arrests were made in Brigg and Goole constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Norman Baker: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last met members of the Photo Marketing Association to discuss plans to allow digital pictures to be used in passport applications; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to secure professional photographic industry support and agreement for any proposals to collect digital ID photographs for use in future passport applications.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department made of the number of application rejections made by the New Zealand government's digital passport application system before deciding to undertake a trial of a similar system; and what information her Department holds on the number of such rejections.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Passports

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to improve security measures for ID photographs for passport applications.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Entry Clearances

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken for her Department's Referred Casework Unit to review decisions of the Entry Clearance Manager in the last year; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Entry Clearances

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to the Referred Casework Unit on how to process compassionate compelling cases; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigration: Ilford

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the representations of the hon. Member for Ilford South of 6 October 2014 on a constituency case, for what reason the Minister of State for Immigration did not reply to those representations; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office apologises that the Honourable Gentleman did not receive a Ministerial response to his representations dated 6 October. This was due to a Home Office administrative error. Officials have beenreminded of the correct procedure to follow when a MP makes personalrepresentations to the Minister. A response from the Minister has now been sent to the Honourable Gentleman.

Members: Correspondence

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to officials in her Department on dealing with correspondence from hon. Members to Ministers when the correspondence is clearly marked for the Minister's personal attention; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: Cabinet Office sets guidance for officials dealing with correspondence from MPs. Details of this guidance can be found on the Home Office website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-mps-correspondences

Fraud

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the national fraud indicator statistics for 2013 will be published.

Karen Bradley: The last Annual Fraud Indicator was produced by the National Fraud Authority and was published on 6 June 2013. There are no plans to publish further fraud statistics in this way. When the closure of the National Fraud Authority was announced on 2 December 2013, Official Report, column 36WS, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary made it clear that, "while the National Fraud Authority has been successful in raising awareness of fraud and improving co-ordination, the focus should now be on cutting economic crime". The National Crime Agency is now responsible for producing the single picture of all the threats from serious and organised crime, including economic crime and fraud.

Cybercrime

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of cybercrimes reported to Action Fraud have been referred to regional police forces for investigation in each year since 2009.

Karen Bradley: Action Fraud is the national reporting point for fraud, cyber-enabled financial crime and Computer Misuse Act (CMA) offences, and is operated by the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud.Action Fraud only assumed full responsibility for recording fraud and offences under the CMA in 2013/14. The Home Office does not hold data for the breakdown of disseminations from the City of London Police to local police forces by the factors involved in the crime, such as whether it involved a cyber element. In 2013/14 City of London Police disseminated around 40,000 crimes to police forces for consideration for investigation.

Cybercrime

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful prosecutions were made for cybercrimes reported to Action Fraud in each year since 2009.

Karen Bradley: The data requested is not available. Information on prosecutions is held by the Crown Prosecution Service and is not relayed back to Action Fraud to correlate against reports.

National Fraud Intelligence Bureau

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many permanent members of staff were employed by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.

Karen Bradley: The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau had an establishment of 84 permanent members of staff in 2012-13, and the same number of permanent staff in 2013-14. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is also complimented by officers and staff in other police forces and the National Crime Agency.

Mass Media

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to her Department's press office on answering queries from student journalists.

Karen Bradley: The Home Secretary has not issued any guidance to the press office on dealing with student journalists.The press office receives between 100 and 200 calls a day from accredited regional, national, international and specialist journalists from both print and broadcast media. Any student journalist who contacts the Home Office press office in relation to a student publication is advised that statistics, departmental announcements, ministerial speeches and quotes, which may assist their enquiries, are available on the government website, gov.uk. We do not have the resources to deal with any student request related to their studies.This is a common approach adopted by other government departments and organisations of a similar size which receive significant media interest.

Northern Ireland Office

Smithwick Tribunal

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Irish government on the findings of the Smithwick Tribunal.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: I am in regular contact with the Irish Government and discuss a range of issues of economic and political importance, including legacy issues such as the Smithwick Tribunal.

Department of Health

Influenza: Vaccination

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the (a) uptake and (b) effectiveness of the influenza immunisation vaccine campaign.

Jane Ellison: Immunisation against influenza for the 2014-15 season commenced in September and good progress has been made. Provisional percentage vaccine uptake rates for various groups as at week ending 19 October are shown in the following table (figures relate to England):   Age GroupUptake Rate (%)People aged 65 years or older44.6People aged six months to under 65 years in risk groups25.2Pregnant women22.4Children aged two years old8.1Children aged three years old8.8Children aged four years old6.5   Vaccine uptake rates for those aged 65 and over, those under 65 with a clinical condition, and pregnant women are slightly higher than at the same point in the last two years. Uptake for two and three year olds is lower than at this point a year ago. For the new cohort of four year olds, vaccination levels are similar to those for two and three year olds.   It is not possible to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the 2014-15 influenza immunisation programme at this very early stage before the influenza virus is circulating. The planned programme of campaign communication is ongoing.

Pregnancy: Folic Acid

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of the use of folic acid prior to conception as a preventative measure for neural tube defects.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) strongly encourages women to take a folic acid supplement from before they are pregnant to the 12th week of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. This advice is included in public health messages around pregnancy and planning a pregnancy.   National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance states that advice on folic acid supplementation should be provided as part of antenatal care at first contact with a healthcare professional. Advice on folic acid supplementation for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, is disseminated through a variety of sources including the NHS Choices website, the NHS Information Service for Parents, the charity ‘Tommy’s’, and Start4Life - PHE’s campaign to give babies the best start in life and reduce the risk of poor health in the future.   PHE has recently established a media partnership to communicate the key healthy behaviour messages prior to conception in more mainstream women’s magazine media.   In addition, the Department has commissioned the Behavioural Insights Team to look at innovative approaches to raising awareness of the need to take folic acid supplements during pregnancy. This programme of work is scheduled for completion by the end of January 2015.

Abortion: Republic of Ireland

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Irish nationals had (a) one and (b) more than one abortion via NHS England in 2013.

Jane Ellison: No Irish nationals have had one or more than one abortion via NHS England in 2013.

Disability Aids

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the next annual report on Research and Development Work Relating to Assistive Technology.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the Risk Assessment for his Department's decision to bring the production of the annual report on Research and Development Work Relating to Assistive Technology in house from 2015.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the Impact Assessment for his Department's decision to bring the production of the annual report on Research and Development Work Relating to Assistive Technology in house from 2015.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the next annual report on Research and Development Work Relating to Assistive Technology to be laid before parliament.

George Freeman: Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 sets out the following requirement:   “The Secretary of State shall as respects each year lay before Parliament a report on the progress made during that year in research and development work carried out by or on behalf of any Minister of the Crown in relation to equipment that might increase the range of activities and independence or well-being of disabled persons, and in particular such equipment that might improve the indoor and outdoor mobility of such persons.”   In recent years the report has been produced by the Foundation for Assistive Technology and this contract expired in June 2014 following production of the report for 2013-14. Future reports will be produced by the Department and it is expected that the report for 2014-15 will be laid before Parliament and published in July 2015. There has been no specific impact or risk assessment. The Government will continue to meet the requirement set out in section 22.

Osteoporosis: Drugs

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on prescriptions for the treatment of osteoporosis in each of the last five years.

George Freeman: Information on National Health Service expenditure on drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis in primary and secondary care is in the table.   Drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis have been defined as those included in the following British National Formulary sections: 6.6 Drugs affecting bone metabolism 9.5.1.1 Calcium supplements 9.6 Vitamins (colecalciferol and ergocalciferol only)   Cost of drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis, England1Drug Name2Primary Care(£ million)Secondary Care(£ million)Year2009201020112012201320092010201120122013Alendronic Acid14.012.410.89.78.90.80.60.50.50.4Alendronic Acid and Colecalciferol1.41.20.90.70.60.00.00.00.00.0Calcitonin (Salmon)0.30.30.20.20.10.00.10.10.10.1Calcium4.24.74.53.73.30.90.90.90.90.9Calcium and Colecalciferol0.00.00.00.00.02.22.22.12.22.3Clodronic Acid0.00.00.00.00.02.92.41.61.20.9Colecalciferol42.448.358.567.675.00.00.00.00.41.2Denosumab0.00.00.20.81.90.00.10.92.39.9Disodium Etidronate1.31.00.80.60.30.00.00.00.00.0Ergocalciferol4.37.88.07.06.10.10.10.10.20.3Ibandronic Acid12.112.111.410.64.72.12.01.81.50.9Pamidronic Acid0.00.00.00.00.09.69.19.49.48.7Risedronate Sodium and Risedronate Acid27.922.911.62.42.00.80.60.30.10.1Sodium Clodronate7.87.26.35.54.30.00.00.00.00.0Strontium Ranelate7.07.89.09.27.30.60.60.60.50.2Teriparatide0.30.40.40.50.62.72.82.73.13.2Zoledronic Acid0.10.10.10.10.116.718.020.923.725.7Other Calcium Supplement Preps0.50.60.60.50.50.00.00.00.00.0Other drugs30.20.10.10.00.00.20.10.10.10.0TOTAL123.8126.8123.4119.1115.439.639.642.346.255.0 1 Cost of drugs at NHS list price. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income. Totals may not add up due to rounding. 2 The patent for some of these drugs may have expired during this period. 3 “Other drugs” includes Calcium and Colecalciferol and Ergocalciferol, Calcium and Etidronic Acid, Calcium and Risedronic and Colecalciferol, Disodium Pamidronate, Ergocalciferol and Calcium, Etidronic Acid, Hydroxyapatite, Parathyroid Hormone, Salcatonin, Tiludronic Acid, other Bisphosphonate and other Preparations.   Source:  Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (primary care) Hospital Pharmacy Audit Index (HPAI) provided by IMS Health (secondary care)   Since some drugs are prescribed to treat more than one condition and as the condition for which a drug is prescribed is not collected, it is not possible to separate the different conditions for which a drug may have been prescribed. The information provided may therefore include costs from the prescribing of these drugs for conditions other than for osteoporosis.

Neurology: Nurses

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent specialist nurses for a neurological condition were employed in each region of England in each of the last five years.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The National Health Service annual workforce census provides information on the number of nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed in the NHS in England but does not separately identify specialist nurses employed in neurological conditions.   It is for local NHS organisations with their knowledge of the healthcare needs of their local population to invest in training for specialist skills and to deploy specialist nurses. Specialist nurses provide invaluable support for patients and their families. They are able to provide specialist treatment and advice and act as a gateway to other members of the multidisciplinary team, which can both save the NHS money and, more importantly, improve care and outcomes for patients.   Health Education England (HEE) supports employers with Continuous Personal and Professional Development. HEE's planning process has created the opportunity for employers, through their membership of local education training boards, to prioritise investment between training the future supply of healthcare professional and the development of existing staff, but it is currently for these local partnerships to identify their relative priorities for investment.

Motor Neurone Disease: Drugs

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on the prescription of drugs for the treatment of motor neurone disease in each of the last five years.

George Freeman: Information on National Health Service expenditure on drugs for the treatment of motor neurone disease in primary and secondary care is in the table.   Riluzole is the only drug defined in the British National Formulary as being used for the treatment of motor neurone disease   Cost of riluzole, England1YearPrimary Care(£ million)Secondary Care(£ million)20093.81.220104.91.420115.51.420125.81.5201322.31.0 1 Cost of drugs at NHS list price. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income. 2 The patent for riluzole expired in the first quarter of 2013. Source:  Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (primary care) Hospital Pharmacy Audit Index (HPAI) provided by IMS Health (secondary care)   Since a drug could be prescribed to treat more than one condition and as the condition for which a drug is prescribed is not collected, it is not possible to separate the different conditions for which it may have been prescribed. The information provided may therefore include costs from the prescribing of the drug for conditions other than for motor neurone disease.

NHS: Pay

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that NHS staff performing the same role in different parts of the country are placed in the same pay bands.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The NHS Agenda for Change national pay system is supported by a nationally agreed Job Evaluation Scheme and is managed locally by National Health Service organisations. NHS Employers (the representative body for NHS employers) provide guidance to NHS organisations and undertake training delivered by experienced job evaluation experts. There is also nationally agreed guidance in the NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook with advice on job evaluation as part of workforce re-profiling.   NHS organisations are responsible for ensuring that job roles meet their obligations under Equal Pay legislation which require that staff should receive equal pay for work of equal value. Any difference must be objectively justified.   There may be job roles across NHS organisations with the same job title but which include different content and carry different demands. In these cases, the Job Evaluation Scheme is designed to ensure organisations deliver similar outcomes provided similar jobs are being compared. The scheme will also help organisations ensure that the pay band accurately reflect the skills and responsibilities of the job.

Health Services

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups in England provide some form of falls service.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) men under the age of 18, (b) women under the age of 18, (c) men between the ages of 18 and 60, (d) women between the ages of 18 and 60, (e) men over the age of 60 and (f) women over the age of 60 have been diagnosed with osteoporosis in each of the last five years.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much clinical commissioning groups in England spent on falls services in each of the last five years.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups in England provide a fracture liaison service.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much clinical commissioning groups spent on fracture liaison services in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The provision of fracture liaison services (FLS) and falls services is a matter for local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and data on numbers is not collected centrally. NHS England advises that it is aware that provision of good FLS is not uniform across the country and is working with CCGs to support them to develop appropriate local services. It also advises that the FLS model recommended by the International Osteoporosis Foundation and the National Osteoporosis society is recognised as best practice and is being promoted. In addition to this, the guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) ‘Falls: assessment and prevention of falls in older people’ sets out best practice for clinicians on the management of patients aged 65 and over who are susceptible to falls.   Regarding the cost to the National Health Service of treating fractures attributable to osteoporosis, whilst programme budgeting data provides figures for annual NHS spend on musculoskeletal services in England, the cost of treating individual musculoskeletal conditions, such as osteoporosis or specific services such as FLS, is not available as part of this.   Information concerning the number of people affected by osteoporosis in each of the last five years is not collected. NICE estimates that over 300,000 patients present with fragility fractures to hospitals in the United Kingdom each year.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 16 September 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms S Whyatt.

Norman Lamb: I replied to the Rt. hon. Member’s letter of 16 September 2014 on 8 October 2014.

Osteoporosis

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on campaigns intended to raise public awareness of osteoporosis and its symptoms in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: In the last five years there has been no budget allocated for specific osteoporosis national campaigns.   Since April 2013 Public Health England’s marketing campaign investment approach has been to allocate budget against activity which has the greatest scope to deliver the key public health outcomes. This is based on lifestage rather than disease specific approach.   More details of the 2014-2017 marketing campaign strategy can be found at   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-health-england-marketing-strategy-2014-to-2017   There is a considerable amount of information about osteoporosis on NHS Choices website. However it is not possible to calculate the monetary value of this content.

Influenza: Vaccination

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2014 to Question 210389, which groups who previously accessed free inoculations now no longer do so.

Jane Ellison: Under the national seasonal flu vaccination programme, the following people continue to be offered the seasonal flu vaccination.   - those aged 65 years and over; - those aged six months to under 65 in clinical risk groups; - pregnant women; - residents in long-stay care homes; - carers; and - health and social care workers.   We have not withdrawn the seasonal flu vaccination from any patient group who was previously offered the vaccination.   As outlined in my reply to the hon. Member I gave on 21 October 2014 to Question 210389 the Government has commenced a programme to extend the seasonal flu vaccination to children aged two to less than 17 years.

NHS: Negligence

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the number and value was of clinical negligence payments made by the NHS as a result of negligence committed by private healthcare providers in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The number and value of clinical negligence payments made by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA) as a result of negligence incurred by independent sector providers that are members of one of the NHS LA schemes, up to the 31 March 2014 is detailed in the following table:Number of Claims with PaymentsDamagesPaidDefence CostsPaidClaimant CostsPaidTotal PaidPrivate Sector505,04505,045NHS Member52618,545,5222,651,9089,573,57630,771,005Department of Health18810,783,4241,073,6133,673,58115,530,617Total71929,328,9453,730,56513,247,15746,306,667   Independent sector providers of NHS services have only been eligible to join the NHS LA’s clinical negligence scheme for trusts since April 2013. The likelihood of a claim being incurred, reported and settled in the same financial year is very low, hence the low values in the table, but private sectors members now contribute directly to the scheme for their own liabilities.   In April 2013 arrangements were put in place so that sub-contractors would be covered by the NHS member of the scheme. This was to make the system less complex.   Since April 2013, claims arising from the activities of independent sector providers have historically been funded by the NHS member organisations that have contracted with them.   An element of these claims has been inherited and funded by the Department as a result of the abolition of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities on 1 April 2013.

NHS: Negligence

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the number and value has been of clinical negligence payments made by the NHS as a result of negligence committed by Vanguard Healthcare.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The NHS Litigation Authority has no record of any claims payments made in connection with negligence incurred by Vanguard Healthcare, nor has it been notified by NHS members of its clinical negligence scheme for trusts of any claims where Vanguard Healthcare has been implicated.

NHS: Pay

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to revise the pay bands introduced in the NHS Agenda for Change programme.

Dr Daniel Poulter: The Agenda for Change pay system is a national collective agreement managed in partnership between National Health Service trade unions and NHS Employers (the representative organisation for NHS employers). Any changes are currently agreed in partnership via national collective bargaining.   The underlying banding structure within Agenda for Change, supported by job evaluation provides for equal pay for work of equal value and is sound.   However, the Government does wish to see further changes to Agenda for Change; including structural reform so that there is a much stronger link to performance and that the highest pay within any band is received by those staff who make the greatest contribution.   Agenda for Change also needs to be fairer across all pay bands, rather than currently where higher paid staff receive higher progression. We have urged NHS trade unions to work with NHS Employers on longer term reform of Agenda for Change to ensure it is fairer and financially sustainable.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department made to international counterparts during the conference of the parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Moscow.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason his Department attended the conference of the parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Moscow.

Jane Ellison: Through the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), 179 countries have agreed to work together to reduce smoking rates, to prevent the uptake by children and to minimise the burden that tobacco use has on health. The United Kingdom remains an active participant in the WHO FCTC, as we have been since it began.   The UK attended the WHO FCTC to work with other countries to agree further on how this can be achieved around the world.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department received urging them to boycott the conference of the parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Jane Ellison: The Department received no such representations.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on attendance at the conference of the parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Moscow; and whose travel, accommodation and other expenses related to attendance at the conference his Department paid for.

Jane Ellison: The sixth Conference of the Parties (COP) of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was held in Moscow over 13-18 October 2014. To be able to participate in the full range of business at the COP, the United Kingdom was represented by two officials.   The United Kingdom’s delegation travelled on economy class flights to Moscow and stayed during the COP in the hotel where the conference was held, however total costs are not yet available.

Meningitis: Vaccination

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2014 to Question 207051, whether a price for the meningitis B vaccine has been agreed with the manufacturer.

Jane Ellison: The Department is continuing negotiations for the supply of the meningococcal B vaccine Bexsero® with the manufacturer Novartis.

Ebola

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the decision by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to tighten infection control guidance for US healthcare settings, what steps he has taken to revise guidance for health workers on caring for patients for Ebola.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) are reviewing the details of the guidance recently published by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify any elements of good practice that should be considered for introduction into the United Kingdom. Initial reviews of the information that we have received so far suggest that the CDC and PHE guidance are functionally comparable.

Asthma

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the potential saving from extending free prescriptions to all asthma patients arising from reductions in accident and emergency visits and unplanned hospital admissions; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on extending the right to free prescriptions to all asthma patients; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: We are unable to make such an estimate.   Data on the cost to the National Health Service of treating asthma patients in accident and emergency or unplanned hospital admissions is not collected by the Department. The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCI) has published information on reasons, for example respiratory problems, for accident and emergency attendance in its Hospital Episode Statistics: Accident and Emergency Attendances in England 2012-13, but this does not identify specific conditions, such as asthma, that may have prompted an accident and emergency visit or unplanned hospital admission.   Since 1 November 2013, the Department has received 44 representations through the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit and two parliamentary questions, including the hon. Member’s own, regarding extending exemption from prescription charging to people with asthma.

Ebola

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of post-arrival monitoring of travellers whose travel originated from countries affected by the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Jane Ellison: Symptoms of Ebola can emerge at any time up to 21 days after exposure to the virus and there is therefore a chance that an individual may be well on their return to the United Kingdom, but then subsequently develop symptoms.   As part of the entry screening process all returning travellers, including health care workers, humanitarian care workers and any other returnees from an affected country, who have been involved in any activities involving contact with cases of Ebola, will receive information about Ebola symptoms and what to do in the event of becoming unwell.   The screening programme is a valuable point of reassurance that we have met with returning health and humanitarian care workers, and assessed requirements to monitor and support them. Those with any particular risks will be actively monitored for a 21 day period.

Ebola

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what staff have been designated to carry out the screening of passengers travelling from Ebola-affected countries; and what specific training such staff have received.

Jane Ellison: Screening is being carried out by Public Health England health protection practitioners (HPPs), with supervision from health protection consultants. The HPPs are supported by administrative staff for the collation of the health assessment forms, prior to the risk categorisation.   There is a clear evidence-based algorithm to follow for screening staff at ports. All of the screening staff members have had specific training on the guidelines. In addition, screening staff have also received a briefing (either face-to-face or in the form of a video) on the use of personal protective equipment, and have been trained in the correct use of a tympanic thermometer.   We have a planned programme of continuous quality improvement, incorporating learning to date from early implementation of the screening programme.

Radiotherapy

Mr John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the final sign-off date is for two cyclotron-based proton beam radiotherapy machines at (a) University College Hospital, London and (b) the Christie Hospital, Manchester.

Jane Ellison: The planned date for approval of the preferred bidder of the proton beam equipment to both Trusts is March 2015 with contract signature following shortly after.

Dementia: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Brigg and Goole constituency have been diagnossed with dementia in each of the last 10 years.

Norman Lamb: Information is not available for the format requested. The number of people on the dementia register is available. This is a measure of prevalence rather than incidence. The number of people recorded on practice disease registers is taken from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dementia has been included on the QOF register since 2006-07. The following table shows all available data for East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), and East Riding and North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) as these cover the Brigg and Goole constituency.   Number of patients on the QOF dementia register in the specified organisations   NHS organisationYearPractices1Practice List Size1Number on QOF dementia register1East Riding of Yorkshire CCG2013-1438300,9572,010 2012-1338300,9441,828 North Lincolnshire CCG2013-1421169,9971,117 2012-1321169,7431,006 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT2011-1239316,5671,694 2010-1139315,4631,516 2009-1039314,8601,365 2008-0938314,1941,236 2007-0838313,3061,192 2006-0738311,7891,110 North Lincolnshire PCT2011-1220167,482901 2010-1121166,569771 2009-1022167,044726 2008-0921166,897701 2007-0821165,893664 2006-0721164,819638 Note: 1 Practices, practice list sizes and number of patients on the dementia register are based only on those general practitioner practices that participated in QOF.

Ebola

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued on whether people displaying symptoms associated with the Ebola virus should attend accident and emergency departments.

Jane Ellison: People are ordinarily told to seek advice, provided that they are not suffering from a severe acute illness requiring immediate emergency care, by calling their Public Health England monitoring officer (if they are in the returning worker monitoring programme) or calling NHS 111. They may advise attendance at an Emergency Department for assessment (in such circumstance the Emergency Department concerned would have been pre-warned of the arrival of the patient to ensure that appropriate infection control measures are in place).

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

ERASMUS

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that graduates work in the UK following participation in the Erasmus overseas study programme.

Greg Clark: Given that a large proportion of the Erasmus students outgoing from the UK are studying languages, it is unsurprising that they are more likely than non-mobile students to be employed overseas after graduation often in international comparison. Nonetheless most UK Erasmus graduates are employed in the UK.

Innovation

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the EU Precautionary Principle on the scale of scientific innovation in the UK.

Greg Clark: The Department has made no systematic assessment of the effect of the precautionary principle on scientific innovation in the UK.

Israel

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2014 to Question 207349, what the licence type, summary, value, end use and nature of end-user for each of the export licences approved between 8 July and 31 August 2014 was.

Matthew Hancock: Details of the licences approved between 8 July and 31 August are as below. Based on information about the nature of the equipment and the use of the licences, we do not believe any of the equipment listed below has been used in Gaza during the recent hostilities   End User CountriesGoods SummaryTotal Goods ValueEnd Use Nature of End UserIsraeltargeting equipment58,752Incorporation and re-export to a third countryGovernmentIsraelcomponents for targeting equipment26,000Incorporation and re-export to a third countrylaw enforcement agencyIsraelsoftware enabling equipment to function as military improvised explosive device decoying/detection/disposal/jamming equipment2,000For demonstration onlyCivil end-userIsraelcomponents for surface-to-air missiles2,990Missile defence systemGovernmentIsraelmilitary aircraft navigation equipment41,902Returned after repair in the UKGovernmentIsraelcorrosion resistant chemical manufacturing equipment5,992Incorporation and re-export to a third countryCivil end-userIsraelbody armour, components for body armour, military helmets19,000staff protectionInternational OrganisationIsraelpathogenic genetic elements20Medical research purposesUniversityIsraeltargeting equipment51,931Incorporation and re-export to a third countryGovernmentIsraelcomponents for military radars275,000Incorporation and re-export to a third countryGovernmentIsraelcalcium85Academic research purposesPrivate Research InstituteIsraelequipment employing cryptography, software for equipment employing cryptography113,700civil project to provide secure communicationsGovernmentIsraeltriggered spark gaps250,000for medical applicationsCivil end-userIsraelequipment employing cryptography71,454secure connectivityCivil end-userIsraelcomponents for military infrared/thermal imaging equipment1,404Incorporation and re-export to a third countryGovernmentIsraelcomponents for targeting equipment21,228Incorporation and re-export to a third countryGovernmentIsraelbismuth700Academic research purposesUniversity / Private Research InstitutesIsraelcomponents for targeting equipment5,000Incorporation and re-export to a third countryGovernmentItalycomponents for military training aircraft8,779Incorporation into trainer aircraftGovernmentUnited Stateslaunching/handling/control equipment for munitions104,000Incorporation into military aircraftGovernmentUnited Statescomponents for military training aircraft9,267Incorporation into trainer aircraft for supply to multiple countries including IsraelGovernmentGermanycomponents for military training aircraft343Incorporation into trainer aircraft for supply to multiple countries including IsraelGovernment

Disabled Students' Allowances

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the deadline was for submitting evidence for the equality analysis of proposed changes to disabled student's allowance; and how awareness of that deadline was disseminated.

Greg Clark: The Government invited interested parties to submit evidence as part of its programme of consultation during the summer.

Oil: Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received on consultations held with the Saharawi regarding proposed drilling for oil by Cairn Energy in the waters of Western Sahara.

Matthew Hancock: I can confirm that neither I nor my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills have received any such representations.

Students: Disability

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the support offered to potential university students with a disability to ensure that they are able to access support in undertaking their studies.

Greg Clark: Discussions are underway with the higher education sector to ensure institutions are ready to meet their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 in respect of the changes for 2015/16 and 2016/17. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is currently undertaking a review of provision and support for disabled students in higher education which will help to inform this.

Students: Disability

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of the Higher Education Funding Council for England to (a) support and (b) challenge universities which do not provide careers advice, counselling, financial advice to students with a disability and other support services.

Greg Clark: The Higher Education Funding Council for England is undertaking studies looking at how Institutions support students with specific disabilities and learning difficulties where intensive or multiagency support is required.   The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) supports a number of specialist task groups including a Disability Task Group (DTG) which promotes professional practice and provides information and training concerning the employability of disabled students and graduates.

Students: Disability

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward proposals to give disabled pupils a right of appeal against higher education institutions at a special educational needs and disability tribunal where an institution fails to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.

Greg Clark: There are already a number of rights of appeal available to students.   The Government is working with interested parties to consider if further changes are needed.

Airports: Ghana

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessments were made of Mourne Ltd's payment of taxes in the UK and Ghana before UK Export Finance agreed to guarantee loans for the Kotoka International Airport project.

Matthew Hancock: UK Export Finance has no powers to investigate the tax affairs of exporters. However, it undertook due diligence in respect of the financial and legal risks associated with the export contract between Mourne Ltd and Ghana Airports Company Ltd before providing support.

Post Offices: Rhyl

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made on the proposed relocation or closure of Rhyl Post Office.

Jo Swinson: The proposed franchising of some of its Crown Post Offices is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited (POL). I understand that the company continues to explore all options for Rhyl with a view to finding a retail partner for the franchise. In the event that a suitable new retail partner cannot be found, POL has given a commitment that a post office service will be retained within the area.   As this is the operational responsibility of the company I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the Hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

Apprentices

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of people who completed apprenticeships went on to get (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Boles: Information on the employment destinations for apprentices is collected in the Apprenticeship Evaluation Learner Survey 2012-13:   https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229998/bis-13-1126-apprenticeship-evaluation-learners.pdf   Of those apprentices who completed their apprenticeships between 1 and 2 years ago 81% are in full or part-time employment. Of these, 81% are in full-time employment and 16% part-time employment. The hours of the remainder varied too much to make a distinction[1].   [1] See page 64 and 65 of the report.

Acorn Agricultural Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2014 to Question 209889, how many complaints his Department received about Acorn Agriculture Finance (a) before and (b) after that company was granted licences.

Matthew Hancock: Companies House does not have a company registered in the name of Acorn Agriculture Finance. A company in the name of Acorn Agricultural Finance Limited is shown on the company index of names and Companies House has not received any complaints against the company.

Performance Appraisal

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff in his Department (a) are currently on a personal improvement plan, (b) have been on a persoanl improvement plan for over one year and (c) have been on a personal improvement plan for more than two consecutive years; and what the grades are or were of such staff.

Jo Swinson: At present the Department does not hold any central data on the number of staff on personal improvement plans, as these are handled within the line management chain.

Performance Appraisal

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many staff in his Department are responsible for mentoring staff on personal improvement plans.

Jo Swinson: At present the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) does not hold any central data on the number of staff on personal improvement plans, as these are handled within the line management chain.BIS currently has over 200 internal mentors; however, mentor relationships are confidential and therefore no data is held on how many of these are involved in mentoring staff on personal improvement plans.

Performance Appraisal

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many teams in his Department currently have more than one member of staff on personal improvement plans.

Jo Swinson: At present the Department does not hold any central data on the number of staff on personal improvement plans, as these are handled within the line management chain.

Job Evaluation

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the procedure is in his Department for assessing grade boundaries and job roles; and how often such assessments take place.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) uses grading guidance as a tool to help managers and job holders determine the grading of a post. The guidance applies to all BIS staff, except the Senior Civil Service (SCS) and Fast Streamers, who have central grading structures. Job evaluation is used when the grading guidance alone is insufficient for the manager and job holder to determine the grade of a post. BIS uses a systematic job evaluation system called JEGS (Job Evaluation and Grading Support) for non-SCS staff and JESP (Job Evaluation for Senior Posts) for SCS staff. These have been developed specifically for the Civil Service. It is a systematic process for defining the relative worth or size of jobs in order to establish internal relativities.  The procedure for assessing grade boundaries using job evaluation are: 1. Form a clear picture of the job 2. Refer to grading guidance and where possible allocate to a grade 3. If not, a trained evaluator will evaluate the post 4. The evaluator’s conclusions are quality assured by an appropriate panel which includes trade union representatives 5. HR will communicate the outcome to the line manager   We do not keep records of how often the grading guidance are used or when job evaluations have taken place. Possible reasons for formal job evaluation might include: · the recruiting manager, Independent Panel Member (IPM) and Deputy Director cannot agree on the appropriate grade using the BIS grading guidance; · a new post has arisen and there are limited comparator posts within which to agree the grading; · a substantial and material change has been made to the weighting and responsibilities of the post; · an area has been restructured and the boundaries for responsibility and weighting have changed significantly; · there is sufficient doubt of grading when similar roles are compared across the Department; or · the Department is undergoing a full grading review.

Deloitte

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Insolvency Service has made of the performance of Deloitte as an appointed administrator in collective redundancy consultation.

Jo Swinson: Responsibility for assessing the conduct and performance of insolvency practitioners in their role as Administrators falls to the Regulatory Professional Body of which they are a member. The role of the Secretary of State, through the Insolvency Service, is to ensure that these bodies are effectively undertaking their regulatory functions. In June 2014, an Employment Tribunal judgement was handed down which was critical of the role of the Administrators (from Deloitte) in their handling of redundancies involving approximately 6,500 employees following the collapse of Comet, a large national retailer of electrical goods. The judgement was referred by the Insolvency Service to the Administrators’ Regulatory Professional Body, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for consideration of disciplinary action. That investigation is currently on-going. An Employment Tribunal had previously made criticisms of the Administrators of WW Realisations 1 Limited formerly known as Woolworths (also from Deloitte). That matter was also referred by the Insolvency Service to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales for consideration. No disciplinary action was taken as a result of that investigation.

Research Councils: Grants

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on gender diversity in research of the process by which the Research Councils award grants.

Greg Clark: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

British Business Bank

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what research he has commissioned on the number of black and ethnic minority-owned businesses from each ethnic group which have received support as a result of investments made by the British Business Bank (BBB); what meetings he has had with BBB staff to discuss the needs of black and ethnic minority-owned businesses; and what steps were subsequently taken by the BBB to address the issues raised.

Matthew Hancock: The objective of the British Business Bank is to ensure that finance markets work more effectively for smaller businesses. In achieving this objective, the Business Bank does not lend to or invest directly in any smaller business and instead works through and invests alongside private sector providers such as banks, peer to peer lenders, leasing companies or venture capital funds which offer a wide range of finance products.   As part of its remit, the Business Bank regularly monitors the performance of programmes by collecting a range of data, including the ethnic background of business owners, for a number of key programmes, such as Start Up Loans. The latest data shows that as of August 31, 26% of Start Up Loans recipients identified themselves to be either Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) businesses. Around 300,000 (6%) of small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK are BAME led.   In addition, Business Bank officials and I regularly meet with key stakeholders to discuss and better understand the broader finance needs of different types of smaller businesses, in order to ensure that Business Bank programmes are targeted to address market failures.

Exports: Licensing

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the timetable is for the implementation of the transparency initiative for open export licences.

Matthew Hancock: The new reporting requirements came into place at the start of 2014 and the data for this year is due to be published as part of the Government’s UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2015. We plan to commence a review of this initiative in early 2015.

Goldcrest Finance and Hertford Solutions

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received about (a) Gold Crest Finance and (b) Hertford Solutions LLP.

Jo Swinson: My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has received no representations about (a) Gold Crest Finance and (b) Hertford Solutions LLP.

Ministry of Defence

Sentinel Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what costs for the re-fit of the Sentinel aircraft fleet have accrued under each cost heading in each year of the programme.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department intends to sign the contract for the upgrade of the maritime-capable software on Sentinel aircraft.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department intends to sign the contract for the installation of a DMR radar onto the Sentinel aircraft.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 October 2014 to Question UIN 210889, available on the Parliament written answers website at the following link: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-16/210889/



Hansard Extract 24 October 2014
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Armed Forces: Credit Unions

Mr Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on encouraging access to credit unions for members of the armed forces and their families; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Further to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 6 October 2014, Question UIN 208271 refers, we continue to make progress on this issue. As stated previously, we fully endorse existing, strong credit unions expanding their membership to the Armed Forces community. I met Lord Kennedy on 15 October 2014 to discuss the matter of credit unions for members of the Armed Forces. I confirmed that the facilitation of payroll deduction for credit unions is technically possible and our payroll provider is engaged with officials to scope and cost such deductions. Further work is under way to determine the criteria for access to this facility, and to develop an education campaign for our personnel to enable them to make informed financial choices.  



Hansard Extract 6 October 2014
(Word Document, 24 KB)

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 commanding officers have requested legal advice following allegations of (i) sexual assault, (ii) exposure, (iii) voyeurism, (iv) sexual activity in a public lavatory and (v) other forms of sexual misconduct; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many allegations of (a) sexual assault, (b) exposure, (c) voyeurism, (d) sexual activity in a public lavatory, (e) rape and (f) other forms of sexual misconduct have been recorded by the Crime Statistics and Analysis Cell in each month since April 2014 relating to the (i) Army, (ii) Navy, (iii) RAF and (iv) reservists; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: The table shows the number of allegations of rape, sexual assault, exposure, voyeurism, and other forms of sexual misconduct, recorded by the Service police in each month since April 2014 up to 24 October 2014, broken down by Service.   Month/ServiceApril 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014Number Of Rape AllegationsBritish Army4213221Royal Navy0010000Royal Air Force0000010Number Of Sexual Assault (By Penetration) AllegationsMonth/ServiceApril 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014British Army0000011Number Of Sexual Assault (No Penetration) AllegationsMonth/ServiceApril 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014British Army3312221Royal Navy0001112Royal Air Force0010000Number of Exposure AllegationsBritish Army1000010Number Of Voyeurism AllegationsMonth/ServiceApril 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014British Army0100000Royal Air Force0000010Number Of Other Sexual Offences Under The Sexual Offences Act 2003 AllegationsMonth/ServiceApril 2014May 2014June 2014July 2014August 2014September 2014October 2014British Army0110011Notes: The table only details investigations where the appropriate Service police have jurisdiction and investigative lead.The allegation recorded against each Service is that of the victim. No such allegations have been reported to the Service police in respect of sexual activity in public lavatory or from any of the Reserve Forces for the period detailed in the above tables.

Armed Forces: Complaints

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made in assessing the systems used by (a) his Department, (b) the Army, (c) the Navy and (d) the RAF for recording service complaints; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: Accurate data is clearly important for assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of the complaints process. Service complaints data is captured by all three Services on the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system. The system and the supporting guidance for users have been refined following internal audits of JPA's effectiveness and extent of its use in 2008 and 2012.A third audit is being carried out to review the adequacy and effectiveness of actions taken in response to the audit in 2012. The Service Complaints Commissioner is fully involved in the audit.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many reports of allegations of (a) sexual assault, (b) exposure, (c) voyeurism, (d) sexual activity in a public lavatory and (e) other forms of sexual misconduct were made by commanding officers to each of the service police forces in (i) 2013 and (ii) 2014 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

European Fighter Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on the adaptation of the Brimstone Launch missile system onto the Typhoon fleet of aircraft.

Mr Philip Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 October 2014 to Question UIN 211340, available on the Parliament Written Answers website at the following link:http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-10-21/211340/

Middle East

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Statement of 21 October 2014, Official Report, column 63WS, on the Middle East, from which bases the UK's (a) Reaper UAVs and (b) River Joint aircraft operate for their surveillance missions over Iraq and Syria.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Syria

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Statement of 21 October 2014, Official Report, column 63WS, on the Middle East, how many of the UK's Reaper aircraft will be deployed for surveillance missions over Syria.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

English Language: Education

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on teaching English in each year since 2010.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Veterans: Social Rented Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel have been placed on his Department's referral scheme co-ordinated by the Joint Service Housing Advice Office in each year since 2010; and how many personnel so referred successfully found accommodation through the scheme in each year since 2010.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Armed Forces: Mortgages

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications there have been to the Armed Forces' Help to Buy scheme since it was launched in April 2014; and how many applicants to that scheme have successfully secured mortgages through the scheme.

Anna Soubry: We launched the £200 million Forces Help to Buy Scheme in April 2014 to encourage and support those Service families that aspire to home ownership. I am pleased to report that the scheme has proved very popular. As at 28 October 2014, it had received close to 5,000 applications. It has already helped over 1,500 Service personnel get on, or stay on, the property ladder.

Veterans

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of veterans in the UK.

Anna Soubry: The Government estimates that there are 4.5 million Armed Forces veterans in the United Kingdom. In the UK, veterans are defined as those who have served for at least one day in HM Armed Forces. This figure includes both former Regular and Reservist personnel.

Arms Trade

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what income has accrued to his Department from the sale of surplus defence equipment in countries with Ministry of Defence bases; and what the details are of each such sale.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Disposal Services Authority (DSA) disposes of defence equipment that is surplus to requirement. The following table provides sales figures that accrued to the DSA for permanent Ministry of Defence bases overseas in financial year 2013-14. LocationSales £(thousands)Belize23Cyprus (Sovereign Base Area)7Germany1,286Gibraltar234Kenya537Nepal20Sierra Leone146 Details on individual sales could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Engineers: Recruitment

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many engineers have been recruited by his Department in each year since 2010.

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

West Africa

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the costs incurred by his Department in responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa that will be recovered from the Department for International Development.

Mr Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Armed Forces: Housing

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many single servicemen and servicewomen based at or near Catterick, North Yorkshire, are currently accommodated in (a) single living accommodation provided for his Department by a contractor and (b) other private rented accommodation; and what the average cost per month per person is to his Department for each such type of accommodation.

Anna Soubry: No Single Living Accommodation at Catterick is provided by a contractor.The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has nearly 6,000 bedspaces at Catterick which the MOD owns.Where Single Living Accommodation is not available, the MOD may rent accommodation from the local private market, known as Substitute Service Single Accommodation. This is only ever used as a last resort where no other option is available.There are currently 25 Service personnel posted to Catterick living in 19 Substitute Service Single Accommodation properties at an average monthly cost per person of £468.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Housing: Construction

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of dwellings with planning permission that are classified as (a) progressing towards a start, (b) on hold or shelved and (c) started on site in the latest period for which figures are available.

Brandon Lewis: The Coalition Government has kick-started house building, taken a series of initiatives to get stalled sites building, and reformed the planning system to help deliver more homes and increase local decision making. In the last twelve months to Q2 2014, a total of 230,000 permissions were given for new homes across England (estimates based on Glenigan data for all sites).   Falling number of stalled sitesAs has been repeatedly explained to the rt. hon. Member in previous answers on this topic, the number of dwellings with planning permission that are classified as “on hold or shelved” has steadily fallen thanks to the action this Government is taking. This is illustrated in the table below. Snapshot as of:On hold/shelvedJanuary 201179,604July 201182,557September 201190,331December 201187,081March 201281,502June 201275,534September 201270,495January 201364,394April 201361,476June 201360,493October 201359,249January 201455,847February 201454,086March 201453,376April 201451,284June 201450,050September 201448,000Note: Based on estimates from Glenigan for sites with unimplemented permissions in England. Dwellings on sites with 10 units or more; excludes sites which have been sold, were due to be sold, or else information not available. This data comes from a live database that is constantly revised, and as result figures for a given month can fluctuate slightly. September 2014 rounded to the nearest thousand.  Rising number of starts and near-startsAs of 1 September 2014, a further 267,000 units had started on site. In addition, the number of dwellings with planning permission that are moving towards a start has steadily increased, both due to the action we have taken to tackle stalled sites, but also crucially due to the underlying increase in the number of homes being granted planning permission. Snapshot as of:Progressing towards startJanuary 2011113,566July 2011153,379September 2011153,543December 2011132,633March 2012136,686June 2012141,044September 2012166,105January 2013176,246April 2013184,987June 2013189,882October 2013183,650January 2014202,912February 2014194,681March 2014203,098April 2014197,288June 2014226,328September 2014244,000Note: Methodology as per table above. September 2014 figure rounded to the nearest thousand.A rising number of homes progressing towards a start is a positive indicator of increasing housing construction. Contrary to the incorrect claims of the Labour Party, it is not a measure of “land banking” nor is it “houses where nothing is happening”, rather it is a reflection of the detailed work being undertaken, red tape being navigated and finance being raised in order to turn a council planning permission into a construction site.  Action to kick-start house buildingSteps we have or are taking to get stalled sites moving include: · Introducing measures in the Infrastructure Bill to reduce bureaucracy on implementing planning conditions after planning permission has been granted. · Implementing the recommendations of the Penfold Review to consolidate the overlapping and confusing regime of non-planning consents, on top of planning permission. · Allowing developers to review economically unrealistic Section 106 agreements, through the Growth and Infrastructure Act. Such unrealistic agreements result in no development, no regeneration and no community benefits: a sensible review can result in more housing and more affordable housing. · Ending the temporary measure (introduced by the last Administration) which allowed developers to roll forward their planning permissions; this ending of the measure has now increased the incentive for developers to start on site before their permission expires.  Investment we have provided includes: · The Get Britain Building investment fund, providing over £500 million of finance which has so far helped start over 12,000 new homes on stalled sites. · The Growing Places Fund is providing £730 million to deliver the infrastructure needed to unlock stalled schemes that will promote economic growth, create jobs and build homes. This is supporting approximately 70,000 new housing units, as well as significant amounts of extra commercial and industrial floor space.· The £474 million Local Infrastructure Fund investment fund is supporting the delivery of upfront infrastructure for locally-supported, large-scale housing sites and commercial development; it also provides capacity funding and brokerage support to local authorities to help them progress major schemes through the planning process. Nearly 90,000 homes have been unlocked, so far.· The £3 million Site Delivery Fund is being made available to 66 local planning authorities to accelerate starts on site· The £525 million Builders' Finance Fund is assisting small and medium-sized developers to access finance to support the delivery of housing schemes of between 15 and 250 units, helping kick-start stalled sites and deliver around 15,000 units over four years.· Growth Deals with 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships are providing £6 billion of funding over six years (including over £3 billion for projects starting in 2015-16), all with substantial implications for house building. Over the lifetime of Growth Deals (six years), it is estimated the investment will unlock the land or finance for more than 150,000 homes, just from the projects that will start next year in 2015-16.- In addition, we are taking forward a comprehensive programme to sell surplus and redundant public sector land and property, freeing up taxpayers’ money and providing land for new homes. Taken together, these indicators show that the Government’s long-term economic plan is working and turning around the mess and recession left by the last Labour Government. Moth-balled sites are springing into action; more homes are being planned; and more homes are being built out. However, the policy solutions now being advocated by HM Opposition would actually have an adverse effect in reducing house building. If developers fear new development taxes or state confiscation of land, they will be less willing to undertake complex land assembly projects; they will let their existing planning permissions lapse; and they will simply be more cautious in applying for planning permission in the first place. The result would be a slower planning system and fewer new homes.

Housing: Construction

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2014, Official Report, column 531W, on housing: construction, what estimate he has made of the number of dwellings with planning permission that were classed as having started on site on each of the dates provided.

Brandon Lewis: The figures are below. These estimates only relate to large sites (10+ dwellings) in England, based on Glenigan data. Precise figures will fluctuate from month to month, but there is a clear upward trend.   Snapshot as of:StartedJan-11Not availableJul-11Not availableSep-11Not availableDec-11Not availableMar-12Not availableJun-12Not availableSep-12241,610Jan-13246,020Apr-13236,270Jun-13231,411Oct-13249,942Jan-14264,945Feb-14270,318Mar-14273,373Apr-14280,857Jun-14271,431Sep-14267,277 I also refer the rt. hon. Member to my answer of today, PQ 207630, on the rising number of sites near to a start, and the falling number of sites which are stalled/on hold.

Health: Finance

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the full-year expenditure in each identified category of the Ring-fenced Public Health Grant was for (a) each local authority and (b) England in 2013-14.

Kris Hopkins: This information was published in August, as part of the Revenue Outturn (RO3) statistical returns, and can be found online at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2013-to-2014-individual-local-authority-data-outturnThis is the first year that such data has been published, following the new responsibilities being passed to local authorities. The new data is provisional, as reported by local authorities. Shire districts will be listed with zero entries, as they do not have responsibility for public health. At the time of publication forms had not been received from Sefton and Southwark local authorities. The England totals shown include imputed values for these authorities. Some upper-tier authorities may have zero entries for some columns due to the manner in which the information has been initially provided by the local authority, by filling in the forms without the necessary detail. I would therefore suggest caution about making comparisons on the categories of expenditure between local authorities, based on the new draft data in its current form. We are continuing to work to validate and improve it, and to follow up data anomalies with local authorities in partnership with Public Health England. Final, validated, outturn data will be published later this year.

Torbay

Mr Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many visits were made by Ministers of his Department to Torbay constituency in the 12 months to 14 October 2014; whom the invitation for each such visit was issued by; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such visit.

Kris Hopkins: In the last 12 months, Ministers have not had the opportunity to visit the Parliamentary constituency of Torbay, but they have visited the local authority area of Torbay. We are open to further invitations, subject to Ministerial and Parliamentary commitments.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether, in delivery of the Zero Carbon Homes policy, house builders can contract with a third party to deliver the carbon abatement measures outside of the built environment in (a) renewable energy technologies, (b) carbon capture and storage and (c) nuclear power in order to meet the house builder's zero carbon obligation.

Stephen Williams: The Government intends to adopt a flexible approach to defining the off site carbon abatement measures (allowable solutions) which can be supported by house builders to meet their zero carbon obligation and not apply restrictions which would rule out innovative, cost effective approaches. The Government’s consultation on “Next Steps to Zero Carbon – Allowable Solutions” set out examples of potential measures which could be supported, including renewable energy measures. The Government has not considered support for carbon capture and storage or nuclear power in the context of allowable solutions. However, the criteria based approach set out in the consultation for identifying appropriate carbon abatement measures would require that measures will need to bring forward additional, verifiable carbon savings at a cost effective price. Given carbon capture and storage, and nuclear power, would have high upfront costs, they would be unlikely to be cost-effective.

Business: Loans

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on each of the six actions outlined in his Department's report, Ethnic Minority Businesses and Access to Finance, published in June 2013; what external meetings Ministers have had to discuss (a) those actions and (b) the issues raised in the report in each month since the report; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Williams: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refuges: Females

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding his Department provides to women's refuges.

Kris Hopkins: I refer the rt. hon. Member to my written answer of 28 October 2014, PQs 211433, 211434 and 211435.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to answer Question 210273, tabled by the right hon. Member for Leeds Central on 13 October 2014.

Stephen Williams: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Community Relations

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Bringing people together in strong, united communities policy webpage, if he will list all the projects aimed at tackling extremism and intolerance.

Stephen Williams: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Scotland Office

Private Finance Initiative

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many private finance initiative projects his Department contracted for in each year from 1997 to 2010.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office came into existence in July 1999 and since then has not contracted into any private finance initiative projects.

Department for Transport

Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will state the names and the organisations represented by the current members of the Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport has recently updated its guidelines on the establishment and operation of airport consultative committees which includes recommendations on the types of organisations that should be represented. These can be found on the GOV.UK website. The government does not have a role in deciding which organisations should be represented on a particular consultative committee. Responsibility for the composition of the Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM) rests with Gatwick Airport in collaboration with the committee. A list of the names and organisations represented on GATCOM is publically available and can be found on the GATCOM website.

A64

Miss Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide funding for road improvements and a dual carriageway for the A64 between York and Scarborough; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes: In terms of future investment planning for the strategic road network, the Highways Agency is currently conducting its route strategy process to establish operational and investment priorities for all routes on the strategic road network. It is through this process that improvements to the A64 between York and Scarborough will be considered. The route strategy work is due for completion in March 2015 and will help inform the Department’s road investment strategy which we aim to complete before the end of this year.

Aviation: Licensing

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues to the Civil Aviation Authority on the amount of time that body should take to process applications for licences.

Mr Robert Goodwill: As the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has its own internal performance targets for processing licence applications. The CAA publishes its code of practice on its website. This sets out the standards and the levels of service which both the aviation industry and individuals may expect. Specifically – under Approval, certification and licensing service standards – the CAA say ‘Personnel Licences will be issued within ten working days’. The Department for Transport does not provide any additional guidance on this issue.

Aviation

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effects on (a) regional air routes to Northern Ireland and (b) other regional UK routes of the sale of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports to a Spanish and Australian consortium.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government has made no such assessment. Airports, and the airlines that use them, operate in a competitive environment and it is for them to take commercial decisions on the services that they offer. The Spanish partner, Ferrovial, already had an interest in these airports through its shareholding in Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited (formerly BAA).

Bus Services: Disability

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the decision to postpone the implementation of the driver training elements of EU regulation No. 181/2011 for up to four years.

Mr John Hayes: My Noble Friend Baroness Kramer, Minister for Local Transport has recently completed a review of the use of a derogation applied under EU Regulation 181/2011 (concerning bus and coach passenger rights) exempting bus and coach drivers from undertaking mandatory disability awareness training. To inform this review, she wrote to bus industry representatives, disability stakeholders and charities seeking their input, to determine whether drivers are receiving adequate disability awareness training under the current voluntary arrangement. Having received and considered many comprehensive responses, the findings have been shared with Ministerial colleagues who are discussing how best to proceed. While these discussions continue, officials will place a summary of all responses received in relation to the review on the Government’s website as a matter of priority.

Roads: South West

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department plans to spend on improving the road network (a) in Devon and Cornwall and (b) within a 30 mile radius of the centre of Plymouth in each of the next five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Government is committed to improving the road network in the South West over the next five years. This includes committing £5.8 billion for local highways maintenance, between 2015 and 2021, to English local authorities. We anticipate announcing local highway allocations by the end of the year. We have also announced funding for integrated transport which could include road improvement schemes as follows:Authority  2015/16 (£m)  2016/17 (£m)  2017/18 (£m)  2018/19 (£m)  2019/20 (£m)  2020/21 (£m)  Devon  3.60  3.60  3.60  3.60  3.60  3.60  Cornwall  4.10  4.10  4.10  4.10  4.10  4.10  Plymouth City  1.94  1.94  1.94  1.94  1.94  1.94  Torbay  1.63  1.63  1.63  1.63  1.63  1.63A number of other major Schemes which help to improve the local road network which are receiving specific funding in 2015/16 are currently under construction and these are as follows:   Council  Project  Total Funding(DfT) (£m) Timeline  Devon  A380 Kingskerswell Bypass  76.40  Completion Date:December 2015  Cornwall  Camborne-Pool-Redruth Transport Package  16.10  Completion Date:April 2015  Cornwall  A3059/A3058 Rialton Link  2.00  Completion Date:May 2015  Cornwall  A386 Union Corner Junction Improvements  1.60  Completion Date:July 2015The Local Growth Deals announced in July 2014 provided funding for a number of schemes to improve the road network in Devon, Cornwall and Plymouth. Further details can be found at the following link:   https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-growth-deals  The total funding provided which will be spent on road schemes is:   Area  Funding (£m)  Devon and Cornwall  74.77  Plymouth (within 30 mile radius)  52.87For the strategic road network, the Department is undertaking a feasibility study of the A303/A30/A358 corridor. This is expected to report back at Autumn Statement 2014.   Looking forward to the next five years, the Highways Agency is currently developing route strategies which outline investment priorities for the strategic road network for the period up to March 2021 and beyond. Proposals emerging from this will be considered by Ministers leading up to the Autumn Statement, with completion of the route strategies programme by the end of March 2015.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information (a) his Department and (b) HS2 Ltd has provided to the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Bill Select Committee on matters raised by the public with (i) his Department and (ii) HS2 Ltd in relation to Phase 1 of HS2.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The role of the Select Committee is to consider petitions from those directly and specially affected by the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill, not to consider matters raised by the general public. All briefings, evidence and witness statements to the Select Committee on behalf of the Secretary of State, by HS2 Ltd, are published on the Select Committee’s website.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations (a) his Department and (b) HS2 Ltd have received from individuals about errors and omissions in information provided to the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Bill Select Committee.

Mr Robert Goodwill: No representations have been received from members of the public about information provided to the Select Committee. As part of the petitioning process, exhibits are exchanged with petitioners 48 hours before their petition hearing. This has occasionally led to correspondence with petitioners about errors in those exhibits, such as an incorrect map being attached.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers

Neil Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to promote the training of HGV drivers; and what steps he is taking to encourage young people to enter the logistics industry in support of the manufacturing, engineering, food production and retail sectors.

Claire Perry: We have received representations from the logistics industry about a shortage of HGV drivers. We are currently having discussions with other Departments and stakeholders in logistics to see what can be done to boost the number of drivers entering the industry. The Skills Funding Agency already provides funding to support driver training courses.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Languages: Education

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on language training in each year since 2010.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Following the closure of the language centre under the previous Government, the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks.) (Mr Hague), restablished one in 2013. Fulltime language training (FTLT) is provided for all officers going overseas where the ability to communicate effectively in another language is considered essential to meet the requirements of their role. Training is provided to either C1 operational level or C2 Extensive level depending on the job requirements. The FCO also provides language training to A2 Confidence level to staff and their spouses/partners being posted overseas into non speaker roles. In 2012 the FCO also introduced a developmental language training programme to enable all staff to learn a new language or maintain existing language skills. The table below summarises the annual spend on all three language training programmes since 2010. Essential fulltime language training includes a period of training overseas. Research has shown that the experience of immersing themselves in a new language and culture makes a huge difference to students’ learning and their future effectiveness in their job. The associated costs of immersion are shown in Row B. Financial Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 (forecast) A: Language Training costs only 2,034,609 2,231,436 2,350,730 2,999,781 3,223,107 3,242,509 B: Associated costs (e.g. travel, accommodation etc) 418,964 772,472 626,807 385,895 682,257 782,720 C: Total spend 2,453,573 3,003,908 2,977,537 3,385,676 3,905,364 4,025,229

Occupied Territories

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014, to Question 209580, whether he and his EU counterparts gave specific consideration to settlement construction in Givat Hamatos, E1 and Har Homa, and to the relocation of 12,500 Bedouin from E1, and to the implications of those developments for future relations between the EU and Israel.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) made clear in his statement of 3 October, the UK deplores Israel’s decision to advance plans for settlement units in Givat Hamatos. Along with a number of EU counterparts, and the European External Action Service, he urged the Israeli authorities to reverse this decision. Discussions are continuing in Brussels on how the EU can best discourage settlement expansion including in Givat Hamatos, E1 and Har Homa, and plans to relocate Bedouin from E1. The UK is working closely with other Member States to that end.

Iran

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Iranian government about the persecution of Christians, Bahá'ís and other religious minorities in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK welcomed President Rouhani’s comments in 2013 that all Iranians, including religious minorities, should “feel justice.” Unfortunately, there has been little noticeable change in the approach taken by Iran’s security and judicial authorities.The Iranian Constitution recognises only three religious faiths other than Islam: Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianiam. Christians nevertheless continue to face discrimination; Evangelical Christians, Iranian converts to Christianity and those involved in house churches have been particularly affected. Other minority religious groups have faced similar treatment, and the Baha’i faith – which is unrecognised in Iran - has been particularly discriminated against.The UK has repeatedly called on the Iranian government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith. We will continue to use our bilateral relationship to urge Iran to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians.

Iran

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Iranian government about the case of the imprisoned Christian pastor, Farshid Fathi.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain deeply concerned by the detention and ill treatment of all prisoners of conscience in Iran, and the ongoing discrimination against Christians and other minority religious groups. We have called for the Iranian government to protect the rights of all minority groups in Iran and end the persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith.

Iran

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran under the Rouhani administration; and what the implications of that assessment are for developing bilateral relations between the UK and Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK welcomed President Rouhani’s comments in 2013 that all Iranians, including religious minorities, should “feel justice.” Unfortunately, there has been little noticeable change in the approach taken by Iran’s security and judicial authorities. The Iranian Constitution recognises only three religious faiths other than Islam: Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianiam. Christians nevertheless continue to face discrimination; Evangelical Christians, Iranian converts to Christianity and those involved in house churches have been particularly affected. Other minority religious groups have faced similar treatment, and the Baha’i faith – which is unrecognised in Iran - has been particularly discriminated against. The UK has repeatedly called on the Iranian government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith. We will continue to use our bilateral relationship to urge Iran to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians.

Iran

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what priority the Government gives to the human rights situation in Iran as a factor in the development of bilateral relations with that country and in the potential re-opening of embassies in Tehran and London; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain deeply concerned by the dire human rights situation in Iran. Iran is one of the UK Government's "Countries of Concern" on human rights and thus subject to enhanced monitoring and reporting on human rights developments. We hope that President Rouhani will act on the pledges he has made to implement social reforms and improve the rights of all citizens in Iran. But responsibility for human rights in Iran does not fall under the direct authority of the President. Genuine progress, while essential, will be difficult to achieve. Improving our bilateral relationship with Iran is in the interests of both countries. It does not mean we suddenly agree on everything; on the contrary, we will continue to have sharp disagreements with Iran, particularly over human rights. But a functioning relationship, including with embassies reopened, will better equip us to respond to those challenges.

Financial Services: Islam

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings Ministers in his Department have had on UK Islamic finance initiatives since 15 July 2014.

Mr Hugo Swire: My right hon. and noble Friend the former Minister of State (Baroness Warsi) met Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to discuss UK Islamic Finance initiatives on 30 July. I wrote to all members of the Global Islamic Finance and Investment Group on 20 October, and to the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England on 29 September, to progress the agenda on our Islamic Finance initiatives. In addition, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon Friend the Member for South Northamptonshire (Ms Leadsom), represented the UK at the World Islamic Economic Forum in Dubai between 27-29 October 2014.

Colombia

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of allegations of state-sponsored violence in Colombia.

Mr Hugo Swire: We remain concerned by recent reports of violence in Colombia and the reported increase in threats against human rights defenders there, in particular those detailed in the “Somos Defensores” report published in August. I recently held a meeting with the hon. Gentleman and other parliamentary colleagues where I received further reports of violence in the country.During my visit to Colombia in June, I set out our concerns about the reported rise in attacks against human rights defenders in my meetings with Colombia’s Deputy Foreign Ministers and the heads of the Colombian government’s major human rights agencies. I also met representatives from Colombian and international human rights organisations, including Oxfam and Christian Aid, to discuss the issue. The former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) also raised the issue of violence against trade unionists and human rights defenders, and cases of impunity for those responsible, with the Colombian government during his visit to Bogota in February.

Iran

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the timetable is for the reopening of (a) HM Embassy in Tehran and (b) the Iranian Embassy in London.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain committed to reopening the British Embassy in Tehran once we have resolved some outstanding issues. We anticipate that the Iranian Government will wish to reopen its Embassy in London in parallel, in line with our step by step and reciprocal approach to improving bilateral relations.

Iran

Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of an increase of religious persecution in Iran; and what recent representations on this issue he has made to the Iranian government.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK welcomed President Rouhani’s comments in 2013 that all Iranians, including religious minorities, should “feel justice.” Unfortunately, there has been little noticeable change in the approach taken by Iran’s security and judicial authorities. Discrimination against individuals on the basis of their faith has remained discouragingly widespread.The Iranian Constitution recognises only three religious faiths other than Islam: Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianiam. Christians nevertheless continue to face discrimination; Evangelical Christians, Iranian converts to Christianity and those involved in house churches have been particularly affected. Other minority religious groups have faced similar treatment, and the Baha’i faith – which is unrecognised in Iran - has been particularly discriminated against.The UK has repeatedly called on the Iranian government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith, and to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians.

Colombia

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to meet President Santos of Colombia in London in November.

Mr Hugo Swire: President Santos is visiting the UK in a private capacity. His agenda has not yet been confirmed.

Department for International Development

West Africa

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the contribution by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 20 October 2014, Official Report, column 66, on troop deployment: West Africa, on how many previous occasions her Department has funded support from the armed forces for humanitarian efforts; and whether it is her policy that such support will continue to be so funded in future.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the contribution by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 20 October 2014, Official Report, column 66, on troop deployment: West Africa, whether it is normal practice of her Department to provide funding for support from the armed forces for humanitarian relief.

Justine Greening: MoD personnel are performing an invaluable role in the UK response to the Ebola crisis, working alongside DFID and NGO staff. All deployments are consistent with the Oslo Guidelines which define how military assets can be used for humanitarian purposes. MoD and DFID have worked together in this way in Haiti, Chile and Indonesia, cyclones in Burma and the Philippines, flooding in Pakistan, the conflict in Iraq and the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Ebola

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to increase the production of promising Ebola drugs and vaccines and to negotiate the prices of those drugs and vaccines.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Government is spending on accelerating the development of vaccines and medicines for Ebola.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government is contributing to the cost of the clinical trials currently being planned for candidate vaccines.

Justine Greening: DFID is co-funding clinical trials to find a safe vaccine for Ebola as well as providing critical care on the ground. Britain is a world leader in medical research and mobilising our unique strengths to find a vaccine could be pivotal to containing Ebola and preventing future outbreaks.

Department for Education

Children in Care

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average annual cost for a looked after child was in each local authority in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Mr Edward Timpson: Information on the weekly unit costs of looked after children for each local authority is published on the Department for Education’s local authority interactive tool (LAIT).[1]The figures can be found in the children’s services unit costs section of the tool. [1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait

Classroom Assistants

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the actual and percentage change in pay for school support staff has been in each of the last 15 years.

Mr David Laws: The requested 15 year time series is not available. The Department for Education now collects data on school support staff pay through the annual School Workforce Census but, to date, the pay data has been too incomplete to publish.

Armed Forces: Children

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many service children have been recorded in the UK in each year since 2010.

Mr Edward Timpson: The numbers of service children recorded in schools in England since 2010 are as follows:YearNumber of Service Children [1] [2]201453,850201350,900201249,750201148,070201038,110 The Department for Education is responsible for education in England only and not the whole of the United Kingdom. Information on the devolved administrations; Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is available via their websites.[3] [1] Data taken from the National Pupil Database, Spring Census data, 2010-2014[2] Figures are rounded to the nearest ten[3] Northern Ireland: www.deni.gov.uk/index/facts-and-figures-new/education-statistics.htmScotland: www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-EducationWales: www.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/?lang=en

Boarding Schools

Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many state boarding schools in England are (a) co-educational, (b) all boys and (c) all girls.

Mr Edward Timpson: There are 146 co-educational state boarding schools in England. There are 39 all-boys schools, and two all-girls schools, giving a total of 187 state boarding schools currently open.This data has been taken from the October 2014 ‘Schools in England’[1] publication.[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-in-england

Free Schools

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made contact with the 100 free schools which failed to respond to her Department's questionnaire for the research report, Are free schools using innovative approaches? published in September 2014.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's research report, Are free schools using innovative approaches?, published in September 2014, what data has been gathered on the length in days of (a) terms and (b) school years from the 74 free schools which responded to her Department's questionnaire.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to establish why 100 free schools failed to respond to her Department's questionnaire.

Mr Edward Timpson: Our online survey of free schools asked only whether they were operating terms and school years that were different to other schools in the local area. It did not collect data on the actual lengths of terms and school years in the free schools.   Responding to such surveys is voluntary and, after reminders were issued via email and phone, we did not seek detailed reasons for non-response.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding schools in Brigg and Goole constituency received under the pupil premium in 2013-14; and what estimate she has made of how much funding those schools will receive in pupil premium in 2014-15.

Mr David Laws: Schools and academies in Brigg and Goole constituency have been allocated £2.231 million through the pupil premium for financial year 2013 to 2014, and £2.851 million for financial year 2014 to 2015. This includes funding through the deprivation and service child elements for financial year 2013 to 2014, and also the children adopted from care element for financial year 2014 to 2015, but excludes the looked-after children element in both years as this is not available at a parliamentary constituency level.

Children in Care

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many looked-after children in England also have a sibling in care; and how many looked-after children in England are (a) living with at least one of their siblings and (b) not living with any of their siblings.

Mr Edward Timpson: The data requested is not held centrally.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Solar Power

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of solar farms in the UK that include livestock grazing; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: We estimate that there are currently around 250 solar farms in the UK, and with numerous others in the planning system, we estimate there will be over 1000 by the end of the decade. This would remove a large amount of farmland from agricultural production. While some developers claim as part of their planning applications that they intend to graze livestock under solar panels, in practice many are reluctant to allow livestock to be co-located with expensive capital equipment. Land covered by solar panels can no longer have agricultural production as the primary activity on it and is therefore not eligible for the BPS payments.

Sugar

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the prospects of the Government seeking a more advantageous arrangement for cane sugar refiners in its negotiations with the EU.

George Eustice: During negotiations of the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy last year, which led to the agreement to end sugar beet production quotas in 2017, the UK pushed for the full liberalisation of the sugar regime in order to allow the sugar cane refiners to compete with the beet producers on an equal footing.   Disappointingly, there was insufficient support from other Member States to secure the necessary changes as part of that exercise. However, we remain committed to working with the European Commission to address this issue through forthcoming EU trade agreements.

Flood Control

Mr Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to promote flood defences.

Dan Rogerson: We are spending more than £3.2 billion over period of this parliament, compared to £2.7 billion in the previous five years. By March 2015, we will have improved the level of protection to more than 165,000 households.We have also improved the funding approach to encourage others to invest in flood defences, so even more schemes can be delivered.

Sewers

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of stormwater drainage in residential areas.

Dan Rogerson: Stormwater drainage is a matter for local authorities in their capacity as lead local flood authorities, and it is their responsibility to make an assessment of the risk. Local authorities are accountable to local people for the adequacy of the drainage infrastructure in their areas.

Agriculture: Regulation

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she is making in reducing the burden of regulation on farmers.

George Eustice: Food and farming is a vital part of our economy, generating £100bn and employing one in eight people. We want to enable farmers to spend their time producing high quality British produce and contribute to this. This is why, by the end of this Parliament, we will have reduced the volume of guidance by 80%.

Food: EU Law

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many British food and drink products have protected status.

George Eustice: There are currently 70 British food and drink products with protected status.

Nature Conservation

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to protect plants and wildlife in the UK.

George Eustice: Biodiversity policy is a devolved matter. In England, our Biodiversity 202 strategy includes a wide range of policies aimed at protecting, restoring and creating wildlife habitats, and halting the decline in plant and animal species. Central to delivering this ambition are our agri-environment schemes, which help farmers to manage their land in an environmentally friendly way. Over £3.1 billion will be spent on environmental objectives under our schemes between 2014 and 2020.

Flood Control: Humber Estuary

Martin Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the merits of recent proposals to strengthen flood defences in the Humber Estuary.

Dan Rogerson: The proposals for flood defence improvement projects on the Humber Estuary are being considered as part of the six-year capital investment programme, which will be published with the Autumn Statement.   The Environment Agency is also reviewing the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy, which will consider future investment needs across the estuary. It will take account of data gathered following the east coast tidal surge of December 2013.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Energy: Prices

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what modelling has been conducted to estimate the effect on UK employment levels of movements upwards and downwards in energy prices.

Matthew Hancock: DECC has not carried out any such analysis.

Performance Appraisal

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many staff in his Department (a) are currently on a persoanl improvement plan, (b) have been on a personal improvement plan for over one year and (c) have been on a personal improvement plan for more than two consecutive years; and what the grades are or were of such staff.

Amber Rudd: The response relates to formal personal improvement plans under DECC poor performance policy. The response to your question is in the table below, and the figures are out of 1579 civil servants working in DECC:(a) are currently on a personal improvement plan7(b) have been on a personal improvement plan for over one yearNone(c) have been on a personal improvement plan for more than two consecutive yearsNoneIn relation to (a), the grades of such staff are: Grade 6, Grade 7, Higher Executive Officer (HEO) and Executive Officer (EO).

Performance Appraisal

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many teams in his Department have more than one member of staff on personal improvement plans.

Amber Rudd: DECC has defined team as a directorate for the purpose of this response. Currently there are 2 directorates that have more than one member of staff on a personal improvement plan. The response relates to formal personal improvement plans under DECC poor performance policy.

Energy: Prices

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if his Department will estimate the potential change in annual household energy bills arising from government subsidies to Drax for biomass power generation over the next 13 years.

Matthew Hancock: We currently support two units of Drax under the Renewables Obligation (RO), one as a full conversion, the other as an enhanced co-firing unit. One further unit has been awarded a contract under Final Investment Decision Enabling for Renewables (FIDeR). Government spending on levy funded support for low carbon electricity, including renewables, is capped by the Levy Control Framework (LCF), thereby helping to minimise the impact on consumer bills.An estimate of the cost of support for renewable electricity generation by Drax cannot be provided as such information would allow the determination of operational factors which are commercially confidential.

Nuclear Power: Emergencies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps his Department has taken to develop a cross-government concept of operations in emergency response plans to deal with a radiological emergency.

Matthew Hancock: The UK’s cross-government arrangements for responding to emergencies, irrespective of cause or location, are detailed in the Central Government’s Concept of Operations. The central government CONOPS is supplemented by a range of nuclear emergency planning guidance, available on the GOV.UK website, to ensure that local and national agencies are aware of how the response to a nuclear emergency would be coordinated and their roles and responsibilities during the response.

Nuclear Power: Emergencies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent lessons his Department has learned from Japan on how to implement a nuclear emergency action plan.

Matthew Hancock: The UK has longstanding nuclear emergency arrangements which are continually reviewed in response to changing circumstances, improved techniques, and lessons learnt from emergency exercises and real events.Nuclear emergency plans are developed under the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations, 2001. The Office for Nuclear Regulation regulates the requirements to review and test plans for relevant nuclear sites on a regular basis.

Energy: Competition

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he has taken to help businesses and individuals to switch their gas and electricity suppliers more quickly.

Matthew Hancock: We have worked with Energy UK, Ofgem, suppliers and other key industry partners to develop and implement proposals which will enable domestic customers to switch supplier 17 days, half the time it currently takes. The industry code changes to enable to this will come in to force on 6 November and Energy UK members have all committed to offering it by the end of the year. These code changes will also enable more streamlined switching of non-domestic customers.The Department is also working with Ofgem to support their proposals for a longer term move to next day switching. A key element of this is the roll out of smart meters.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when the last time was that he met the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to discuss the implementation of zero carbon homes.

Amber Rudd: Ministers from the Department of Climate Change and Energy meet Ministers in the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Members: Allowances

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, on what criteria additional staff allowances other than for staff sickness or maternity leave are given to hon. Members.

Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.Letter from Marcial Boo, October 2014:As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about the criteria for additional staffing expenditure budget.The MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses sets out the criteria for contingency funding in Chapter 10. We consider applications for additional funding for staffing or non-staffing costs on a case-by-case basis and take into account the following criteria:whether there are exceptional circumstances warranting additional support;whether the MP could reasonably have been expected to take any action to avoid the circumstances which gave rise to the expenditure or liability; andwhether the MP's performance of his or her parliamentary functions would be significantly impaired by a refusal of the claim.

Members' Staff

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what comparative estimate the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has made of the cost to the public purse of providing accommodation for hon. Members' staff in (a) constituency offices and (b) the parliamentary estate.

Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.Letter from Marcial Boo, October 2014:As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about office accommodation for MPs' staff.We have not conducted such a comparative estimate.Under the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses, MPs may choose where to locate their staff, based on how they wish to carry out their parliamentary functions. If an MP chooses to base some or all of his or her staff in the constituency, the costs associated with office rental may be charged to the MP’s Office Costs Expenditure budget (administered and paid for by IPSA). Costs associated with provision of an office on the Parliamentary estate are borne by the House of Commons centrally.

Members' Staff

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many responses were received to IPSA's public consultation on MPs staffing allocations; of these, how many related to internships; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of that consultation.

Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.Letter from Marcial Boo, October 2014:As Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about IPSA's consultation on the staffing expenditure budget.IPSA last consulted the public and MPs on the composition of the staffing expenditure budget in November 2011. We asked on what basis we should calculate the staffing expenditure budget and whether we should take into account factors such as the relative deprivation of the constituency. The relevant consultation question received 45 responses, four of which mentioned interns. All of our public consultations and the responses are available on our website www.parliamentarystandards.org.ukFollowing the consultation, for 2012-13 we increased MPs’ staffing expenditure budgets by 19% for non-London Area MPs and 25 per cent for London Area MPs.We have reviewed the level of the staffing expenditure budget as part of subsequent annual reviews and further increased the budget by 1 per cent this year. For 2014-15 the budget is £138,600 for non-London Area MPs and £145,500 for London Area MPs.

Wales Office

Private Finance Initiative

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many private finance initiative projects his Department contracted for in each year from 1997 to 2010.

Alun Cairns: The Wales Office was established in 1999 and did not have any private finance initiative projects to 2010.

Ministry of Justice

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 17 September 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs M Lawson.

Mr Shailesh Vara: A response to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton was sent on Tuesday 21 October 2014.

Courts: Clwyd

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on the closure of courts in the Vale of Clwyd; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such closures on staff numbers and levels of service.

Mr Shailesh Vara: HM Courts & Tribunals Service keeps the use of its estate under review in order to make the best use of its resources for users and taxpayers alike. The decision to close Rhyl County Court and move its work to Prestatyn Magistrates’ Court was announced by the Lord Chancellor in December 2010. The closure required enabling work at Prestatyn Magistrates' Court to accommodate the additional work, which has not yet been finalised. The court will not close until this work has been concluded. The effects on staff and levels of service were considered in response to the consultation and will form part of any closure implementation plan.

Disability Living Allowance: Appeals

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many appeals against disability living allowance there have been since 2010; and how many such appeals resulted in a reversal of the original decision.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support), administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice, hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions’ decisions on a range of benefits, including disability living allowance (DLA). Information on the number of DLA appeals received by the Tribunal and the number found in favour of the appellant is published by Ministry of Justice in Tribunal Statistics Quarterly. Reports for DLA appeals dating back to 2010 can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.

Stalking

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review the guidelines for sentencing of people convicted of stalking.

Mike Penning: Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council.

Drugs: Misuse

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 208447, how many people convicted of (a) class A, (b) class B and (c) class C drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 were fined in each of the last four years.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 208447, how many people convicted of (a) class A, (b) class B and (c) class C drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 were given custodial sentences in each of the last four years.

Mike Penning: Sentencing and fines imposed in individual cases are a matter for the independent courts, within the limits set by Parliament and following sentencing guidelines. The number of persons found guilty, fined and given a custodial sentence for class A, class B and class C drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013 (the latest data available) can be viewed in the table below.Persons found guilty, fined and given a custodial sentence for class A, class B and class C drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, England and Wales 2009-2013 (1)(2)(3)  Total guiltyTotal FineImmediate Custody  2009 Class A drug offences (4)20,2935,9155,627  Class B drug offences (4)25,56511,8011,459  Class C drug offences (4)2,977792625  Class unspecified drug offences (4)2713237  Various triable either way offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (5)2327840  Various summary offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (6)300  2010 Class A drug offences (4)18,6325,4505,343  Class B drug offences (4)38,28416,6782,969  Class C drug offences (4)1,811600245  Class unspecified drug offences (4)3683296  Various triable either way offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (5)2417932  Various summary offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (6)210  2011 Class A drug offences (4)1635247664857  Class B drug offences (4)41524176553705  Class C drug offences (4)1655591180  Class unspecified drug offences (4)3766316  Various triable either way offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (5)2338131  Various summary offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (6)100  2012 Class A Drug1518450094721  Class B Drugs40526158143428  Class C Drugs122239196  Class Unspecified2880253  Various triable either way offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (5)1777413  2013 Class A Drug15,4265,0864,924  Class B Drugs39,40715,1623,280  Class C Drugs1,108334107  Class Unspecified3180271  Various triable either way offences under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (5)2229718  (-) = Nil   (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (2) The conviction statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Courts: Closures

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the date of closure was of each court building which closed but was not disposed of between May 2010 and 30 June 2014.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The Department is committed to disposing of surplus property assets expeditiously and reducing holding costs. The date of operational closure of each court building which has been closed but not disposed of since May 2010 is detailed below. The majority of these courts were closed as part of the Court Estate Reform Programme (CERP). CERP is expected to save the taxpayer £152m by 2015 while ensuring the courts continue to operate effectively. As of 29 October 2014 a total of 66 buildings closed under the programme have been sold attracting disposal receipts of £42.9m. In addition to the courts announced for closure under CERP, the Ministry of Justice has closed and disposed of a number of court buildings as a result of the integration and co-location. The sale of former court buildings is dependent on a number of factors including the state of the market, potential future use of the property (including its development potential) and their location. Furthermore, some of the buildings are occupied in part by the police and local authorities, which can also delay or prevent swift disposal. When disposing of surplus property assets we will always seek best value for the taxpayer. Table: Date of operational closure of each court building which has been closed but not disposed of since May 2010 as at 30 June 2014 Court BuildingDate of operational closure 1, 2Bishop Auckland Magistrates’ & County Court 413 July 2011Bridgwater Magistrates’ Court30 March 2012Bridport Magistrates' Court 318 March 2010Burton-upon-Trent County Court22 March 2013Cirencester Magistrates’ Court01 April 2011Coleford Magistrates’ Court01 April 2011Dorking Magistrates' Court 318 March 2010Epping Magistrates’ Court30 March 2012Flint Magistrates' Court01 April 2011Frome Magistrates' Court01 April 2011Goole Magistrates' Court16 December 2011Haywards Heath (Mid Sussex) Magistrates’ Court30 March 2012Honiton Magistrates’ Court01 April 2011Houghton Le Spring Magistrates' Court01 April 2011Keighley (Bingley) Magistrates’ Court16 December 2011Lewes Magistrates’ Court01 April 2011Lyndhurst Magistrates’ Court01 April 2011Market Drayton Magistrates' Court01 April 2011Oswestry Magistrates' Court & County Court07 October 2011Pontefract Magistrates’ Court22 March 2013Rochdale Magistrates’ Court522 December 2011Selby Magistrates’ Court22 March 2013Sherborne Magistrates' Court 318 March 2010Stoke-on-Trent Magistrates’ Court07 December 2012Totnes Magistrates’ Court01 April 2011Towcester Magistrates' Court01 April 2011Weston Super Mare Magistrates’ Court 6Not used since September 2006Wimborne Magistrates' Court01 April 2011Witham Magistrates’ Court30 March 2012 Footnotes:1. The date the building was decommissioned and available for disposal is not held centrally. Court buildings may have been used for administrative purposes following their operational closure until space could be found at alternative locations to facilitate this work2. Where two courts shared the same building then the operational closure date of the last court to close is shown3. The closures of Bridport Magistrates’ Court, Dorking Magistrates’ Court and Sherborne Magistrates’ Court were announced on 18 March 20104. Bishop Auckland Magistrates’ Court and County Court building was sold on 11 August 20145. Rochdale Magistrates’ Court was sold on 28 August 20146. Former Weston Super Mare Magistrates’ Court is integral with the police station. Avon and Somerset Policy Authority will lead on the future of the building

Prisoners: Transport

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Prisons Service spent on taxis to transport prisoners in 2013-14.

Andrew Selous: The Prisoner Escort Custody Service (PECS), which is part of the National Offender Management Service, is responsible for the movement of prisoners between prisons, police stations and courts and their care and security while in court custody. PECS manages the secure escort contracts covering all those sent to custody in the prison estate, apart from Category A prisoners. However, there are occasions when the prison service may make use of taxis to provide prisons with a cost-effective, flexible way of fulfilling transport requirements for prisoners where there is a strong operational justification for doing so. This is an economical mode of transport (particularly in comparison with using cellular vehicles or purchasing cars). It reduces potential overhead costs for prisons, such as maintenance and cleaning, which have an impact on staff time. Prisons are able to access this form of transport at short notice, in response to urgent requirementsThe table below shows the total amount of cost of hiring transport, including taxis, for prisoners for financial year 2013-14 for public sector prisons in England and Wales.  Financial YearTransport Hire Costs for Prisoners 2013-14£3,417,595To note within the table:1. It is important to note that the charges for Taxis used for medical escorts are reimbursed by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). PCTs have the commissioning and funding responsibility for all medical escorts and bedwatches for prisons but exclude Open prisons, Immigration Remand Centres and prisons in Wales. 2. The figure for financial year 2013-14 is extracted from our central accounting code and include costs of hiring transport e.g. taxis, coaches, mini-buses etc. for taking prisoners to court and for all other escorts including bedwatches, funeral escorts and regime activities not in official vehicles. Also, the figure has been drawn from NOMS central accounting records, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. 3. Private Prisons are excluded.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector: Procurement

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason his Department's consultation on transposition of the EU public procurement directive was limited to four weeks.

Mr Francis Maude: This consultation on the draft Public Contracts Regulations 2015 complies with the Government’s Consultation Principles, and formally concludes a long-running period of continuous UK stakeholder engagement that commenced in 2011 when the European Commission’s own consultations began.Following the publication of a Procurement Policy note in late 2013, the Cabinet Office engaged with stakeholders interested in specific policy areas. The comprehensive feedback from this exercise meant that a four week consultation period was appropriate and proportionate given the limited scope and impact of the remaining issues on which to consult.This consultation attracted a large number of responses, which shows the period allowed was reasonable.

Passports

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what liaison is taking place between his Department and the Home Office on the (a) design of, (b) structure of and (c) security for the new digital vault for storing and processing digital ID pictures for use in passports; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Francis Maude: The Government Digital Service is working closely with HM Passport Office. The Government is fully committed to protecting public data, including in all aspects of the passport application process.In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Minimum Wage: Brigg

Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees in Brigg and Goole constituency were paid the minimum wage in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Rob Wilson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. 



ONS Letter to Member - Minimum Wage
(PDF Document, 107.81 KB)

Department for Culture Media and Sport

Broadband

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage infrastructure-based competition across the market for high-speed broadband connections; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The UK has a highly competitive broadband market. Superfast broadband is currently available to 78% of UK premises, up from 45% in 2010. In addition to BT, KCom and Virgin Media, a growing number of both fixed and wireless providers are making infrastructure investments. In September 2012 the Government announced a package of measures to reduce the barriers to deployment of superfast broadband, reducing red tape and bureaucracy to enable communications providers to deploy competing networks. The Digital Communications Infrastructure Strategy consultation invited industry to submit views on what more the Government might do to support infrastructure deployment. That consultation closed on 1 October and the Government is currently considering the responses received.

Broadband

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will co-operate with the Department for Communities and Local Government over potential actions to reduce the costs associated with planning regulations and other barriers in relation to the rollout of high-speed broadband.

Mr Edward Vaizey: DCMS worked closely with Communities and Local Government, industry and other interested parties to design and implement in 2013 a significant and substantial package of planning relaxations in England. The changes support the roll out of fixed line high-speed broadband in protected areas*, and high-speed mobile broadband (4G) in protected and unprotected areas by removing the need to seek planning permission for specified developments. This year, joint working with Communities and Local Government has continued, together with house builders and communications providers, to develop an action plan to ensure that new developments have access to superfast broadband. *(National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage Site, Norfolk and Suffolk Broads and Conservation Areas but not Sites of Special Scientific Interest)

Broadband

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if his Department will hold discussions with local authorities to encourage uptake of narrow trenching techniques in order to lower deployment costs for high-speed broadband connections and expedite its rollout to more homes and businesses.

Mr Edward Vaizey: We encourage and support a range of innovative approaches in street works, particularly where these can lower the cost and speed up deployment of superfast broadband. The standards that street works reinstatements must meet are set out in the statutory code, the Specification of the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH). SROH sets out a range of deployment methods and approved materials that undertakers can use when carrying out street works, including narrow trenching and the use of foamed concrete as a reinstatement material.

Telecommunications

Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Law Commission's report on the Electronic Communications Code, published on 27 February 2013, what his response is to the proposals set out in that report for reform of the Electronics Communications Code.

Mr Edward Vaizey: Since the Law Commission published its report on the reform of the Electronic Communications Code in February 2013, the DCMS has been considering the implications of the recommendations on network roll-out and service provision to consumers. In January 2014 we published an economic analysis of the impact of various way leave valuation regimes. The analysis of these recommendations and their effect on network roll-out and service provisions is ongoing. I will make public the plans to reform the Electronic Communications Code, and respond to the Law Commission’s report in due course.

Private Finance Initiative

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many private finance initiative projects his Department contracted for in each year from 1997 to 2010.

Mrs Helen Grant: I refer the Honourable Member to the information contained in the link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-initiative-projects-2013-summary-data.The data can be filtered by procuring authority and then by date of financial close in order to determine how many PFI projects were contracted by DCMS in each year from 1997 to 2010. This information is provided by DCMS and published by the Treasury each year. The current data is as at 31 March 2013, but will be updated with data as at 31 March 2014 shortly.

Annual Reports

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons his Department's Annual Report and Accounts for 2013-14 has not yet been published; and when that report is due to be published.

Mrs Helen Grant: DCMS’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2013-14 was published on Wednesday 29th October.